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I'iige U. 


Hans and the Old Sergeant, 


ieRN«Mi.b 







LITTLE HANS 


AND HIS BIBLE -LEAF. 


FRANZ ^OFFMAN. 


TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED BY 

LOUISE SEYMOUR HOUGHTON, 

I ' 

AUTHOR OF “ DAVID lilVINGSXONE,” “ THE SABBATH MONTH,” ETC. 



FED S5 1884 


PHILADELPHIA : - ' 


PEESBYTEEIAN BOAED OF PUBLICATION, 

No. 1334 Chestnut Street. 


, 1+^1 



COPYRIGHT, 1883, BY 

THE TRUSTEES OP THE 

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 


ALL BIGHTS RESERVED, 


a 


Westcott & Thomson, 
Stereotypers and Electrotypers, Philada. 


LITTLE HANS. 


CHAPTEE I. 

^'The wicked, through the pride of his 
countenance, will not seek after God.” — Ps. 
X. 4, 

T ITTLE HANS was the son of a Prussian 
^ officer who owned a fine estate in Pome- 
rania. To this he had retired with his wife 
when, after long war between Prussia and 
France, a treaty of peace gave him the right 
to feel weary of a soldier’s life. He received 
an honorable discharge from the army with 
the rank of major, hung sword and cuirass 
upon the wall and busied himself with farm- 
ing-tools in the place of his former warlike 
implements. His retirement was shared by 
a worthy old sergeant of his regiment, Paul 

3 


4 


LITTLE HANS. 


Marnefried by name, who had followed his 
former officer to his country estate out of 
pure affection. 

Count Waldensee — for that was the ma- 
jor’s name — had joyfully welcomed the ser- 
geant’s offer of companionship, for they had 
served together for many years, and more 
than once had the one saved the other’s life. 
Both of them loved king and fatherland be- 
fore anything else, and they were so much 
alike in temper and in ways of thinking that 
they lived together as the best of friends, and 
hardly felt the difference of rank and station 
which lay between them. Major and ser- 
geant rode together to the hunting-field ; 
together they superintended the laborers on 
the farm ; they drank from the same glass, ate 
from the same dish, and the commands and 
regulations of the sergeant were as prompt- 
ly obeyed as those of the major. 

Thus happily and comfortably were, they 
living together in the count’s castle, when 
suddenly the countess fell ill and died. 


LITTLE HANS. 


5 


The loss was a very heavy one for the major, 
who had loved his good and gentle wife most 
devotedly. For a long time he was plunged 
into the deepest melancholy. Even the good 
sergeant could find no means to console and 
support him, and still less could the little 
Hans, his only son, who tried with his 
childish prattle to soothe his dear father’s 
heavy grief. Years passed away without 
bringing about any change in the major’s 
condition. Sorrow hung like a dark cloud 
over the castle, which had once been the 
abode of joy and smiling content. 

This state of things brought about many 
unhappy results, especially for the little 
Hans, who sorely needed watchful care, but 
who was so utterly neglected that he grew 
up quite wild and ungoverned. He spent 
the greater part of the day in wandering 
about with the peasant children of the vil- 
lage. ^ He went, indeed, to school, but he 
learned little, becahse the schoolmaster dared 
not be as strict with him as with the village 


6 


LITTLE HANS. 


children. Therefore it was to be feared that 
he would grow up a bad boy, very unlike 
what his mother, who had been a good 
and pious woman, would have wished to 
see him. 

But, though the boy’s mind and heart 
were thus uncultivated, in physical accom- 
plishments he was wonderfully well trained. 
He excelled all the village lads in riding, 
running, jumping, skating and swimming, 
and the wildest horse in his father’s stable 
could not throw him from the saddle. This 
skill he owed to the instruction of Sergeant 
Paul, who early accustomed the boy to all sorts 
of manly exercises. Paul, indeed, did every- 
thing in his power to bring Hans up in the 
way he should go : he would have shed the 
last drop of his blood for his master’s little 
son ; but what did the honest old soldier un- 
derstand of the training of a child ? He him- 
self could barely read and write, and he took 
little interest in the question as to whether or 
not Hans was gaining an education which 


LITTLE HANS. 


7 


he hardly knew how to value. It was quite 
enough for the old soldier that he saw the 
pretty boy active, well and happy. Every- 
thing beyond this was quite indifferent to 
him, and the more so as his thoughts were 
occupied with anxiety about the major, who 
was still plunged in absorbing grief. Besides 
the manifold cares of the estate and of the 
household, the oversight of men and maids, 
the keeping of accounts — in short, the whole 
burden of his master’s affairs — lay upon his 
shoulders, for the major gave hardly a mo- 
ment’s thought to any of them. It is not to 
be wondered at, therefore, that the worthy 
old Paul neglected the higher training of 
little Hans, and hardly ever reproved him 
whatever his conduct might be. The other 
servants of the castle considered the boy’s 
.training to be none of their business, and 
the result of all this was that in his ninth 
year Hans could hardly write his own name 
and had scarcely an idea of his duty to God. 
How far the boy had advanced in the spirit 


8 


LITTLE HANS. 


of insubordination under this lack of disci- 
pline and restraint we shall soon learn. 

One beautiful summer morning Hans 
sauntered idly into the court-yard of the castle. 
The sun shone brightly out of the blue sky, 
smiling upon the newly-awakened life which 
was astir all around in field and in village. 
The peasants were already driving in heavily- 
loaded wagons from the fields, for they had 
been working hard since long before sunrise. 
The shepherd was leading his fiock to pasture; 
the maids were busy in dairy and kitchen, the 
men in farm-yard and hayloft ; children 
with books under their arms were hasten- 
ing schoolward. Everything was full of 
motion, and only Hans looked lazily on while 
the others were doing their daily duty in the 
sweat of their faces. He chattered a little 
with the men in the barn-yard, threw a stone 
among a flock of sparrows which were quar- 
reling for their food among the fowls, whistled 
to the doves which were sunning themselves 
upon the ridge-pole, and teased the old dog 


LITTLE HANS. 


9 


until he tugged, howling, at his chain, in a 
wild desire for revenge. It never occurred to 
the boy to take example from all the activity 
and diligence about him. 

‘‘ Hans!” suddenly called a voice from one 
of the castle windows — “ Hans, you young 
rogue, are you not going to school ? It is 
high time. Make haste I” 

Hans glanced up and saw the old sergeant, 
who warningly shook his fist at him. 

‘‘ Oh, come !” pleaded the boy, laughing 
up at his old friend ; “ I don’t feel like 
school to-day. It is so nice out of doors! 
What should I do in that musty school- 
room ?” 

“ But, child, you missed school yesterday 
and the day before; and what will it all 
come to?” asked Paul, doubtfully. “You 
are learning just nothing, and every peasant 
boy knows more than you do.” 

“ That’s no matter,” replied Hans. “And 
they aren’t so much wiser, either: reading 
and writing don’t amount to much.” 


10 


LITTLE HANS. 


You are a good-for-nothing fellow,” 
growled the honest Paul. ‘‘ You ought to 
know that idleness is the root of everything 
bad. Come, now, Hansie, be a good boy and 
go along to school.” 

‘‘ Ho ! that doesn^t suit me at all,” replied 
Hans, laughing. ‘‘ Go to school yourself if 
you like it so well.” 

“ I’m too old, you foolish boy !” answered 
the sergeant. ‘‘But see here, now: if you 
don’t go right along. I’ll speak to your 
father.” 

Hans very well knew that his father was 
asleep, or at least in his bedroom, and that 
Paul would not disturb him for anything in 
the world ; so he answered quite coolly : 

“ Call him, then ; I give you leave. 
Only I’m not going to school to-day, all 
the same.” 

“ You are a naughty, disobedient boy, and 
you know it,” said the sergeant, growing 
angry. “Do you go straight to school, or 
you’ll be sorry for it.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


11 


‘‘All right answered Hans, turning his 
back on the sergeant. “ You just blow away 
to your heart’s content, and I’ll take a ride 
till you feel better.” He whistled shrilly 
through his fingers. 

The piercing sound was hardly ended, 
when a loud neigh in answer was heard 
from the stables, and a beautiful little 
pony rushed out of the door and cantered 
gayly toward the boy. 

“ Come, Rustan !” said Hans, stroking the 
animal’s slender neck with loving hand — 
“come! We’ll go into the woods together. 
But don’t be in such a hurry ; first let us get 
the saddle and bridle.” 

Child, you shall not go to ride. Go 
straight to school,” shrieked the old sergeant, 
from the window. 

Hans paid no attention to the command. 
He went into the stable, brought out saddle 
and bridle, threw the latter over his pony’s 
head, and was about to put on the saddle, 
when suddenly the sergeant appeared in the 


12 


LITTLE HANS. 


stable, scarlet with rage and evidently intend- 
ing to give the young heir a good scolding, if 
not, indeed, to try what virtue might be in 
his cane. 

Hans, however, saw him in time to form a 
plan of action. Without stopping to secure 
his saddle, he threw himself upon his horse’s 
back, saucily stuck out his tongue at the 
sergeant, and was off upon the wings of the 
wind. 

But the sergeant was not to be headed off 
in this way. He was standing close by the 
gateway, and he hastily swung the two leaves 
of the heavy gate together ; and Hans was a 
prisoner in the courtyard. 

Ha, ha, ha ! How do you like it now, 
youngster?” chuckled the old man. “We 
have got you now ; so pretty one, get down, 
off your horse.” 

“ I’d like to see you make me,” cried Hans, 
disdainfully. “Unfasten that gate, Paul, or 
I’ll put my horse straight over the wall.” 

“Are you crazy, child ?” cried the sergeant. 


LITTLE HANS. 


13 


‘‘Think a moment! Four feet high and 
your saddle not buckled I You’ll break 
every bone in your body.” 

“ What do I care ?” replied Hans. “ Open 
the gate, or — ” He was rising to the leap, 
but at the terrified “ Halt I” of the sergeant 
he settled himself in the saddle. “ So you’re 
going to open it, are you ?” he asked. 

“ I suppose I must, you good-for-nothing 
boy !” replied the sergeant, throwing open 
the gate. “Go your own way, but you’ll 
come to grief some fine day, with your dis- 
obedience and self-will. The time will come 
when you’ll find yourself where you must 
obey.” 

Hans laughed, shook his reins, fiew through 
the door and disappeared in the direction of 
the village. 

The honest sergeant gazed after him, shak- 
ing his head. 

“Thoughtless young scatterbrain!” growl- 
ed he. “ If the good Lord doesn’t make life 
a little harder for that boy, we shall certainly 


LITTLE HANS. 


have our hands full with him. It^s a sin 
and a shame that the major neglects him so. 
He would pay some attention to his father, 
but he laughs us others all to scorn. May 
God bring us safe out of this ! No restraint, 
no obedience — no nothing — has that boy ! 
And yet who could help loving him, the 
young monkey ! He is as saucy as the — 
I had almost said something bad, I do de- 
clare ! But — but what will become of him 
if he goes on so ?” 

The sergeant went thoughtfully back into 
the house, more than ever determined to 
have a few serious words with the major. 
But the major hardly listened to him, and 
at the end of his long discourse only said 
sadly, 

“ You are right, Paul — quite right : the 
boy needs a mother. But if you will just 
have an eye to him, he will come out all 
right. I can^t do it, you see ; my mind is 
full of other things. And really, Paul, you 
must not disturb me so often.’’ 


LITTLE HANS. 


^5 


Paul shrugged his shoulders, but in his anx- 
iety for the father he soon forgot his concern 
for the son. 

Hans, meanwhile, rode in the best of spir- 
its toward the town, secretly laughing at 
the thought that he had so cunningly got the 
better of Paul. Directly before the school- 
house he reined in his pony and jumped 
down to buckle his saddle. In a moment 
he was surrounded by the whole school, 
who noisily welcomed him. 

“Where are you bound, Hans?” asked one 
of the boys. “Aren’t you going to stay at 
school ?” 

“ Not a bit,” replied Hans. “ I’m going 
into the woods. — Come along, fellows !” 

“ Yes, but the schoolmaster ?” objected the 
boys. 

“ Who cares for the schoolmaster?” replied 
Hans, loftily. “ Come on ! I’ll take all the 
blame. If the old fellow dares to touch one 
of you. I’ll throw him out of the window. 
Now will you come ?” 


16 


LITTLE HANS. 


One or two of the most unruly boys showed 
a willingness to accept the invitation ; and if 
the schoolmaster had not just then arrived, 
Hans would surely have succeeded in enti- 
cing them away. For this time, however, no 
harm was done. 

‘‘ March ! march into school, children !” 
cried the good old man as he drew near, 
while he cast a reproving look upon Hans. 
“ If bad boys entice you, don’t go with them. 
— You would be much better, Hans, paying 
attention to your book than rambling thus 
all over the woods and the fields. Are you 
not ashamed to do your father so little credit? 
He has trouble enough already.” 

“ What is that to you, master ?” retorted 
the impertinent Hans. “ I do as I like, and 
that is all there is about it.” 

But you ought to do what is good and 
right, instead of following every foolish- 
ness that comes into your head. Bemember 
what the wise man says : ‘A foolish son is a 
grief to his father.’ ” 


LITTLE HANS. 


17 


Do you mean to call me a foolish son 
asked Hans, hotly. “ You have no business 
to say so. I won’t have it !” 

“ You are a naughty, saucy boy, to be so 
rude to your teacher,” answered the school- 
master, sternly. ‘‘You know very well 
that your poor father, whose heart is so 
full af grief, will not chastise you, and that 
makes you so insolent. But there is One 
above whose rod of correction you will not 
escape so easily. Oh, child, do think a little. 
Be humble, obedient and diligent, like a good 
boy, and don’t set such an example of iijiso- 
lence and insubordination as you did just 
now. Do, Hans, pay attention to what I 
say, and leave off your naughty ways. I 
mean right well by you, and one of these 
days you will thank me for my warning.” 

“ But what are my naughty ways ?” laugh- 
ingly asked Hans, upon whom the good mas- 
ter’s earnest words had made not the slightest 
impression. “ Everybody scolds me, and yet 
I never do any one any harm.” 


18 


LITTLE HANS. 


‘‘ You are doing yourself the greatest 
harm,” said the schoolmaster. What will 
become of you if you never attempt to learn 
anything and just run wild from morning 
till night?” 

“ I’ll be an officer in the army,” replied 
Hans. ‘‘ I already know how to ride and to 
shoot and to fight, and I don’t need to know 
anything more.” 

“ May God open your eyes and your 
heart !” said the schoolmaster, sorrowfully. 
‘‘ If you don’t come to your senses soon, or 
if God does not send you some discipline to 
teach you the right way, you will surely 
come to rue the lost and wasted days of 
your youth. Oh, come, Hans, come ! Lis- 
ten to me, and come into school. AVon’t 
you, Hans — won’t you?” 

‘‘Well, yes, then, I will,” said Hans, 
smiling roguishly. “You go first, master; 
I’ll come right in. Leave the door open 
for me.” 

The teacher went in, rejoicing in the 


LITTLE HANS. 


19 


apparent docility of his refractory scholar. 
Hans followed him obediently — not alone, 
however, but upon his horse, which stepped 
carefully over the door-sill and entered amid 
the boisterous laughter of the school-chil- 
dren. 

‘‘ Here I am, master,” cried Hans, laugh- 
ing. ‘‘If you will take my Rustan for a 
scholar too, I will stay with you, but I won’t 
stay without Rustan ; that I tell you.” 

The good man’s patience gave way, and 
with a severe countenance he drew near to 
the lawless boy. 

“Away with you !” cried he. “ I will not 
break my heart over you any longer. But 
your father shall hear what a wicked boy 
his son is. Woe to the child that heeds not 
his father and scorns his teacher ! for nothing 
that he does will prosper.” 

“All right, master,” said Hans, cheerfully. 
“ I have done as you asked and come into 
school, but, now that you send me out, you’ll 
never see me here again and, laughing as 


20 


LITTLE HANS. 


% 

heartily as when he came in, he rode out, 
delighted to have tricked the schoolmaster 
as cleverly as he had tricked the sergeant. 

Hans rode away, straight across the fields, 
under the trees, whipping idly at the bushes, 
startling a deer from his lair and chasing 
him through thick and thin, across a brook, 
through the woods and out into the open 
fields. The frightened beast took refuge in 
a corn-field. Hans galloped after, little 
heeding how much havoc both horse and 
stag made among the ripe corn. Crying 
“ Hurra !” and “ Huzza !’’ he followed the 
frightened creature, which in despair rushed 
along the road straight to the village, and 
finally disappeared in the pastor’s barn-yard, 
the gate of which, fortunately, stood open. 
Quick as lightning Hans darted after, threw 
the gate to and cried triumphantly, 

“ Caught ! I’ve got you now !” 

At that moment the pastor, who had his 
home in the castle, stood before him, called 
from the silence of his study by the excla- 


LITTLE HANS. 


21 


i 

mations of the stable-boy, the stamping of 
the animals and the exultant shouts of the 
lawless Hans. •At the first glance he saw 
what had happened, and the sight of the 
poor panting stag, which, sobbing and trem- 
bling, tried to find a way out of the yard, 
touched him to the heart. Without a word 
he opened a side door; the stag made a 
single spring through the building, and 
vanished in the open field beyond. 

Before Hans had recovered from his sur- 
prise the door was closed again, and the 
boy knew that, good or bad, the stag 
had escaped. 

“ What do you mean by that he cried, 
red with rage, and rode toward the good man 
with a threatening gesture. ‘‘ You shall pay 
for this trick.” 

The pastor stood motionless, and his stead- 
fast gaze made at least so much impression 
upon the angry boy that he kept back the 
hasty words which trembled upon his lips. 

^^You are my prisoner, Hans,” said the 


22 


LITTLE HANS. 


pastor, smiling. You can’t escape now ; 
and I am glad of it, for I have a serious 
word to speak to you. Get cfcwn from your 
horse and follow me into my study. It is 
of no use to object ; you must listen to me. 
I insist upon it.” 

‘‘But what if I won’t?” asked Hans. 
“ Nobody has any right to order me around.” 

“ It is a pity you think so,” answered the 
pastor. “ But, now that I have you here, I 
shall show you that you cannot always have 
everything to please yourself. Get off your 
horse, or I shall call my man and use 
force.” 

Hans glanced around to see if there was 
any chance of flight, but he saw none. The 
gate was fastened and far too high for his 
little horse to jump over. He therefore 
sprang out of the saddle, his^ face red with 
anger, and said, 

“Very well. To-day you have the best 
of it, but my time will come another day. 
Go on, parson.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


23 


The pastor drew the heated horse into the 
stable, took Hans by the hand, led him into 
his room and motioned him to a seat. Hans 
threw himself pouting into a corner of the 
sofa. The pastor looked at him, half in pity, 
half in reproof. 

“ Boy,” he said, at last, softly and earnest- 
ly, “ God grant that I may reach your heart 
and bring you to a knowledge of your naughti- 
ness ! Tell me : have you never considered 
how foolishly and sinfully you are wasting 
the days of your youth ? Have you never 
seen that your goings-on are a shame in the 
sight of God and of man ? Have you never 
looked into the future and asked yourself 
what will be the end of all your wrong- 
headedness and your ungoverned temper? 
Don’t you know that there is a God in 
heaven who will call you to an account for 
every hour of your life, and will judge 
you according to your deeds?” 

‘‘ What do I know about that ?” muttered 
Hans, angrily. “Keep your preaching for 


24 


LITTLE BANS. 


the church, Herr Pastor ; I don’t care what 
you say.” 

‘‘ You are certainly a godless boy,” cried 
the pastor. Don’t you know what is writ- 
ten in God’s holy word, the sacred Script- 
ures: ‘The wicked, through the pride of 
his countenance, will not seek after God; 
God is not in all his thoughts and again : 
‘The arms of the wicked shall be broken,’ 
‘ for the wrath of God is revealed from 
heaven against all ungodliness and un- 
righteousness of men ’ ?” 

“Where does it say all that?” asked 
Hans. 

“Here,” answered the pastor; and he 
reached toward his Bible, opened it and 
laid it before Hans. “ Here, read, if you 
know how to read — here and here and 
here, and there too. ‘The ungodly shall 
fall in his ungodly way.’ Never you 
doubt it, my boy, for this is the book 
of truth, and every word which is written 
in it will be fulfilled.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


25 


‘‘ Oh pshaw said Hans ; “ what a stupid 
book !” and with that he threw the volume 
into the nearest corner with such force that 
the leaves fluttered wildly about. 

The pastor’s wrath was kindled at the 
refractory boy’s wanton and ungodly con- 
duct, but he controlled himself ; instead 
of anger, a deep sympathy overspread his 
noble, gentle countenance, and a tear glit- 
tered in his eye. 

Child,” he said, “ I well see that the 
power of God must bend you and that his 
hand alone can guide you. Believe me, you 
will remember this hour and your wicked 
action some day when trouble and anguish 
shall have come upon you and cast you 
down to the ground, and shall have broken 
your obstinate will. And that hour will 
surely come, for every child that will not 
obey man is taken in hand by the Lord. 
Go, boy ! I have nothing more to do with 
you. But remember my last word: ‘The 
ungodly shall go away into outer dark- 


26 


LITTLE HANS. 


ness/ Oh, boy, boy ! do not these words 
move your heart to repentance?” 

Hans hung his head in embarrassment, 
for the pastor’s words had at last reached 
his heart, although his pride forbade him to 
let it be seen that such was the case. But 
he soon recollected himself and sprang to 
his feet. 

“Oh, bother!” he cried; “it isn’t true. 
Let me go!” The pastor did not hinder 
him. 

Hans ran to the stable, brought out his 
horse, swung himself into the saddle and 
rushed out of the yard. Once outside, he 
checked his horse for a moment and tore 
a couple of green apples from a tree, then 
threw them against the pastor’s window, 
which shivered into fragments. 

“ There !” he cried, triumphantly — “ there, 
Mr. Parson ! If ever you catch me in your 
trap again, you’ll have to be pretty smart 
and with these words he rode away like 
lightning. 


LITTLE HANS. 


27 


The pastor shook his head sorrowfully as 
he looked after him : 

“ God has a bitter experience* in store for 
you, poor blinded boy ! But, hard as it may 
be, may you have strength to endure, and to 
come forth from the trial purified by its 
fires !” 


CHAPTER II. 


^^This their way is their folly.’^ 

ANE day not very long after the foregoing 
^ events the major returned with a changed 
countenance from a ride which he had under- 
taken at the earnest entreaty of his friend 
the sergeant. His restless, sorrowful eyes 
shone clear as in former days ; the furrows 
had disappeared from his brow, and his bent 
form seemed erect and firm in the saddle. 

Sergeant Paul, who came to meet him in 
the court-yard, could hardly believe his eyes 
as the major nodded smilingly at him. The 
liveliest astonishment was depicted on his 
honest countenance, though mingled with 
doubt whether it could be really true that 
the major had become his old self again. 

The major divined his thoughts and said, 

smiling, 

28 


LITTLE HANS. 


29 


‘‘ Yes, believe it, Paul. The ride has 
done me good, and I know now what I can 
do to conquer this dark, wearing grief when 
it takes possession of me.” 

“ Thank God for that !” cried the sergeant, 
looking up to heaven with glistening eyes. 
‘‘Our Lord God has wrought a miracle in 
you.” 

“Not precisely a miracle, old comrade,” 
replied the major, “ but he has shown me a 
way which will certainly lead me to peace. 
There ! read that paper. Here is war with 
France : that is precisely what I need. I 
must go again into battle and fight, with the 
help of God, for king and country. While' 
I stay here sorrow devours me, but there I 
shall either find fame and honor or a merci- 
ful bullet will take pity on me and lay me 
under the turf. Scour the weapons bright, 
Paul ; take down the sword and cuirass from 
the wall where they have hung so long. 
Our good king will know how to make use 
of an old veteran, and will not deny his 


30 


LITTLE HANS. 


request for a commission in his gallant army. 
What, Paul ! not satisfied yet 

The sergeant stood like one petrified, sur- 
prised at the major’s sudden resolution. 

“ Of course I am pleased to see you look- 
ing happy again,” he said at last, ‘‘ but, to 
tell the truth, the war doesn’t suit me exactly. 
Just think of little Hans ! What will become 
of him if we go off to the war ? It won’t do ; 
really it won’t.” 

“And who said that we were to go ?” re- 
turned the major. “ Of course you will stay 
here and look after the place and take care 
of the boy. That goes without saying.” 

“Indeed!” retorted the sergeant, scorn- 
fully ; “ that remains to be seen. Your 
very humble servant ! So I am to stay here 
and let you go alone to meet the enemy! 
That’s a fine idea ! And who is to look after 
you when I am not there? You seem to have 
forgotten that I was your sergeant. Who 
used to take care of your horse, and keep 
your cuirass bright, and look after your eat- 


LITTLE HANS. 


31 


ing and drinking, when we were in the field 
against France ? Who but Paul ? And 
shall I lie here at my ease while you are 
under shot and shell, with the enemy’s 
sword shining over your head ? That would 
be something new ! Understand me, major. 
The king has need of an old veteran sergeant 
as well of a veteran major, if there is to be 
war with France ; and I must be there. The 
Frenchmen have stuck in my crop since ’92, 
and may the lightning strike me if I stay 
here ! That’s what I say, and you’ll see 
that I’ll stick to it.” 

“But, Paul — you foolish Paul — why do 
you work yourself up so needlessly?” an- 
swered the major, smiling. “ If you want 
to go, I shall be the last to hinder you. Let 
us understand each other. I only thought, 
as you had become accustomed to rest and 
have no sorrow like mine to struggle against, 
that you would rather stay quiet and look 
after the pbce. But just as you like ; it is 
all the better for me if you wish to go, for I 


32 


LITTLE HANS. 


have not forgotten yet how you dug me out 
of a heap of Frenchmen at Valmy. And> 
as for Hans — Well, I’ll think about that.” 

The sergeant’s grim countenance relaxed 
visibly at the major’s first words, but clouded 
again as the close of the sentence reminded 
him once more of little Hans. 

“ Hum ! Yes, indeed !” he muttered in 
his beard. “ Something must be done about 
Hans. He can’t stay here alone ; that would 
never do. He is unruly enough now ; and if 
both of us were away — No, indeed ! that 
won’t do. But what is to be done ? I must 
go with you, major, and yet the boy — 
What a bore !” 

“ What’s a bore, Paul ?” cried Hans, who 
had overheard the whole conversation from 
an upper window. “There is no trouble 
about me : I shall just go to the war with 
you.” 

“Is the youngster crazy?” said the major, 
laughing, and shaking his riding-whip threat- 
eningly toward the window. “ Take yourself 


LITTLE HANS. 


33 


to your books, and five years hence ask your- 
self if you are big enough to wear the king’s 
uniform. It is a little too soon yet. — And 
I’ll tell you what, Paul : we’ll send the boy 
to Berlin. He can stay with his poor moth- 
er’s sister till the war is over, and — don’t 
you see? — he will be better brought up 
there than here.” 

“ Yes, yes ! that is just the thing,” said 
the delighted sergeant. “And now get down 
from your horse, major, and write to the 
king; and be sure you don’t forget old Ser- 
geant Paul Marnefried, for, as sure as I 
live, I shall go with you, if it is only as a 
private soldier, or even as your servant.” 

“And so you shall, old friend,” replied the 
major, springing from his saddle. “ But 
there is no use in writing: if you want a 
thing done, you must do it yourself. To- 
morrow morning, early, I shall start for 
Berlin. You can pack my uniform this 
evening; and then forward to the king! He 
will remember me well enough, the good 

3 


34 


LITTLE HANS. 


man ! And if all goes as I hope, you can 
come straight on with Hans and the horses, 
and you will find further instructions in 
Berlin/^ 

‘‘All right,” said Paul. 

And so it was, for early next morning a 
light wagon, in which the major was seated, 
was rolling away toward Berlin, while the 
sergeant stood looking after it with shin- 
ing eyes until the last trace of dust from 
the wheels had vanished. 

Full two weeks passed away before news 
came from the major. The looked-for tid- 
ings arrived at last. The king had granted 
the major’s request without the slightest hesi- 
tation, and had appointed him to a regiment 
of cuirassiers which were already upon the 
march. It was necessary that he should 
hasten after them without delay, and he had 
found no time to write until he had actual- 
ly joined his regiment. He ordered Paul to 
go immediately to Berlin, to leave the little 
Hans there under his aunt’s protection, and 


LITTLE HANS. 


35 


then to make all possible speed to join him 
with the horses. Where the regiment was 
to be found he would learn in Berlin ; for 
the present it was in Thuringia, where it 
would probably remain for some time. 

Paul immediately made preparations for 
his departure. On the third day after re- 
ceiving the letter he had set in order all 
things about the castle and started off upon 
horseback, with Hans beside him upon his 
Arabian pony, his father’s last birthday gift. 
Hans had often besought the sergeant to let 
him go with him to his father, but, willingly 
as Paul would have granted his request, 
he dared not: the major’s orders were ex- 
plicit. 

‘‘It won’t do, Hans,” he invariably an- 
swered to the boy’s urgent entreaties; “I must 
leave you here with your aunt. The major 
has given the order, and the sergeant must 
obey.” 

“ But I shall die of homesickness, Paul,” 
moaned Hans. “ What can I do in Berlin, 


36 


LITTLE HANS, 


among the women ? I know just how it will 
be : they will keep me cooped up in a parlor, 
squatted behind a book. And I won’t stand 
it : I will go to my father ; and if you won’t 
take me with you, I shall just go alone, and 
you see if I don’t find him.” 

‘‘ Stupid !” growled the sergeant. ‘‘You’ll 
obey orders, or — ” A threatening glance fin- 
ished the sentence. 

“ Well, what or cried Hans, laughing. 
“ Do you think I’m afraid of you, old mous- 
tache ? Well, all right. You’ll soon see 
that whatever will be will be. Come along, 
Paul.” 

With such talk as this they at last reached 
Berlin, and it was Paul’s first care to take 
, Hans to his aunt, Frau von Sternthal. 

Hans went obediently; he even seemed 
quite satisfied to be at his aunt’s. He be- 
haved himself unusually well, and sat quiet- 
ly at his books for hours at a time. No one 
was more surprised at this conduct than was 
the sergeant. The aunt neglected nothing 


LITTLE HANS. 


37 


which might render a stay in her house 
pleasant to Hans, for she loved the handsome 
boy, her dead sister’s son, and heaped caresses 
and all sorts of presents upon him. Hans 
took everything as a matter of course, en- 
joyed the pretty toys which fell to his lot, 
and was beside himself with joy at the gift 
of a beautiful Prussian uniform, with a real 
little sword. With shouts of delight he 
showed them to the old sergeant. Paul 
grinned in sympathy, and felt sure that all 
was going on well. Hans would soon feel at 
home with his aunt, and with a lightened 
heart the old man made ready to leave 
him. 

A detachment of troops were about to 
march into Thuringia, and Paul judged it 
prudent to join himself to them. He con- 
fided his plan to the aunt, who approved of 
it and entrusted a roll of gold-pieces to his 
care, for my brother-in-law, who will no 
doubt find use for them,” she said. Hans 
showed himself quite well disposed and 


38 


LITTLE HANS. 


peaceable, as if he had entirely given up 
and forgotten his wish to go with Paul. 

“ How long will it be before you get to 
father?” he asked. 

‘‘ I don’t know. Two weeks — perhaps 
three ; possibly more : that’s according to 
circumstances. It depends upon where the 
regiment happens to be.” 

But surely you know what road you are 
going to take and where your night- quarters 
are to be ?” asked the boy. 

“ Of course I know,” answered Paul ; 
and he good-naturedly described the whole 
route. 

Hans wrote it carefully down. 

‘‘ What’s that for ?” asked the sergeant. 

“ Why, don’t you understand ?” answered 
Hans, confidentially. ‘‘ As if I weren’t in- 
terested in knowing just where you will be 
every night, and when you will get to father ! 
Give him my love, Paul, and tell him that 
Hans won’t forget him. Do you under- 
stand?” 


LITTLE HANS. 


39 


Of course/’ answered the sergeant. “And 
now, Hans, be a good boy and study hard, and 
don’t give your aunt any trouble, so that we 
may hear good accounts of you when we come 
back from the war. Now good-bye ; God 
bless and keep you !” He gave the boy a 
hearty kiss, took a respectful leave of the 
aunt, and mounted his horse to join the 
departing soldiers. 

Little Hans shed no tears at the parting, 
but, whistling lightly, looked after his old 
friend, and as soon as he was out of sight 
sat down, as if he felt quite contented, to 
his books. 

The aunt, who knew how dependent the 
boy was upon the old sergeant, wondered at 
his coolness, but attributed it to the light- 
heartedness of childhood and indulged a 
hope that Hans was beginning to feel at 
home in her house. Indeed, it seemed as 
if he had become entirely reconciled to his 
new mode of life. He was a model of good- 
ness, obeying his aunt’s slightest wish with 


40 


LITTLE HANS. 


the greatest cheerfulness, and three full 
days passed by without the boy’s giving the 
least cause for displeasure. 

On the morning of the fourth day Hans 
came with a request. 

“Aunty,” he said, caressingly, “ I haven’t 
ridden my Rustan for ever so long. Do let 
me go out a little while with him.” 

“ What ! alone?” asked the aunt. “ Rus- 
tan is so wild ; what if anything should 
happen to you?” 

“ Don’t you worry about that,” said Hans. 
“ Rustan and I know each other ; and when 
I say so, he is as gentle as a lamb. Do let 
me go out and see the country a little. It 
makes me feel sick to be shut up so close 
in the house, for I am not used to it.” 

The boy did indeed look a little paler than 
usual, and, as his aunt knew that he was a 
good rider and at home was cantering over 
hill and dale all day long, she at last gave 
her consent to the wished -for excursion. 

“But be real good and careful, Hans,” 


LITTLE HANS. 


41 


said she, ‘‘ or you need never ask to go out 
again.” 

“ Don’t be afraid, aunty,” said Hans, tri- 
umphantly. ^‘And do not be anxious if I 
stay out a good while : I really need a great 
deal of fresh air if I am to keep well.” 

The lad ran to his room, put on his uniform, 
girded on his sword, seized his field-cap and 
ran to the stable for Eustan. With a single 
bound he was in the saddle, shouted a joyous 
“ Good-bye !” and was off His aunt looked 
after him, not without anxiety, and uneasily 
she awaited his return. 

But noon came, and then evening, and 
still no sign of Hans. The aunt became 
more and more anxious. She wandered 
restlessly from one room to another, and 
finally went to the boy’s chamber, in the 
feeble hope that he might have come in 
unnoticed by her. Hans was not there, 
but a note lay upon the table, so placed 
as to meet the eye of the first person who 
might enter. 


42 


LITTLE HANS. 


A painful presentiment pierced the aunt’s 
heart. She took up the note, read the few 
words which it contained, and sank, pale 
and trembling, into a chair. 

‘‘ The misguided child !” she cried. “ He . 
is gone, and how shall I find him again ? 
What fearful thoughtlessness ! He is gone, 
and what will his father say ?” 

Hans was indeed gone — over the hills 
and far away,” we might say if there were 
any hills around Berlin ; but certainly he 
was gone. The note said : 

Good-bye, dear auntie, and many thanks 
for your goodness. But I can’t bear to study, 
and I am going to my father. I shall soon 
catch up with Paul. Don’t be angry with 
me; I really can’t live in a city. Your 

‘‘Hans.” 

It was for this, then, that the feather- 
brained boy had so carefully inquired about 
the sergeant’s route and his halti ng- places ! 


LITTLE HANS. 


43 


He well knew that Paul would not volun- 
tarily take him with him, and therefore he 
had formed a secret plan to let the old man 
march away without making any objections, 
and then to follow him after the lapse of a 
few days. He had no doubt of overtaking 
him, for he knew the speed and endurance 
of his little horse ; and, once with Paul, he 
felt sure that he would not be sent back. So 
he rode after him in the best of spirits, in- 
quiring his way from one point to another 
and not sparing his horse. Thus, at the end 
of the third day, he arrived at a small town 
where the detachment to which the sergeant 
had joined himself were actually making 
their night’s halt. Paul was soon found, 
and his eyes grew as large as saucers when 
the naughty boy drew up before him upon 
his pony and, making a military salute, said. 
Present, Mr. Sergeant !” > 

‘‘ My stars !” burst from the sergeant after 
a long stare of astonishment. You naughty, 
scatterbrained boy, where did you come from?” 


44 


LITTLE HANS. 


‘‘ Where should I come from ?” asked 
Hans, laughing and throwing his arms around 
the neck of the bewildered sergeant. ‘‘From 
Berlin, of course ; and my aunt would have 
sent her compliments if she had known that 
I was coming. To think that you should be 
so stupid as to believe that I would allow 
myself to be cooped up between four walls 
while you and my father went to the war — 
I, a soldier’s child ! Here I am, and now 
you will have the kindness to assign me 
my quarters, Mr. Sergeant.” 

‘‘ My goodness ! what a fix !” cried the 
good-natured Paul, quite beside himself. 
‘‘A pretty kettle of fish you’ve cooked up ! 
And what will your father say to it ? No, 
Hans; this won’t do. You must go back, 
you really must. What thoughtlessness ! 
To-night you may rest, and to-morrow you 
go back to Berlin.” 

We’ll see about that,” answered Hans, 
stubbornly. If you won’t take me with 
you, I shall go alone ; and you’ll see I shall 


LITTLE HANS. 


45 


find my way to my father. Back to Berlin 
I will not go; that you may depend on.” 

Paul spared neither prayers nor commands, 
neither entreaties nor threats ; but he might 
as well have talked to the wind. Hans 
insisted upon following out his own plan, 
and asserted that he would seek his father 
entirely alone and unaided rather than go 
back to his aunt. 

What could the good Paul do? To go 
back himself to Berlin with the boy was im- 
possible, for he must go on with his company. 
He could find no other suitable companion 
for him, and thus nothing was left to him 
but of two evils to choose the least, and to 
take the willful child under his own protec- 
tion and watch over him as well as he could. 
Hans had quite counted upon this, and he 
paid little heed to the censures which Paul 
heaped upon him. 

‘‘What’s the good of all this fuss?” he 
asked. “ Do be still, sergeant ! I shall go 
along with you, and that’s all there is about 


46 


LITTLE HANS. 


it. You needn’t trouble yourself about what 
my father will say.” 

Paul had, indeed, no resource but silence, 
for he saw that his reproofs fell upon stony 
ground and made not the slightest impression 
upon Hans. He therefore decided to make 
the best of things, and contented himself 
with exacting a promise from Hans that if, 
as was very likely, the company on its march 
came into collision with the enemy, he would 
keep out of danger and in no case get mixed 
up in the fight. The sergeant assured him 
that if he would not promise this, he would 
leave the company then and there and take 
him back to Berlin himself. Hans saw that 
Paul was in earnest, and gave the required 
promise. Peace was thus made at last, and 
Hans installed in the sergeant’s quarters 
for the night. 

All the same, the worthy Paul was any- 
thing but happy over Hans’s arrival: he 
felt a painful presentiment that the boy’s 
headstrong conduct would bear bitter fruit. 


LITTLE HANS. 


47 


But what was the use of his presentiment? 
Here was Hans, and the result of his fool- 
ish conduct he must leave to the dealings 
of Providence. 

While the worthy sergeant was thus 
plunged in the deepest anxiety, unable to 
come to any solution of the difficulty, Hans 
was in the highest glee, congratulating him- 
self upon the success of his stratagem. He 
soon made friends with the soldiers of the 
company, who delighted in the pretty boy 
who rode his little horse so fearlessly beside 
them. He will be a brave soldier one of 
these days,” they said, and praised the 
shrewdness with which he had planned and 
carried out his flight from Berlin. Paul 
grumbled at their praises, and scolded by 
way of antidote ; but his scoldings made no 
impression. Hans only laughed, and the 
soldiers showed themselves no less friendly 
to the saucy boy than before. 

Now, God grant that no harm come out 
of this business ! But you may count upon 


48 


LITTLE HANS. 


one thing, Hans : your father won’t give you 
a very pleasant welcome.” 

‘‘ We’ll see when the time comes,” replied 
Hans, complacently. “At any rate, he won’t 
scold and grumble as much as you do, old 
moustache. Besides, the thing is done ; and 
if you don’t get good-natured pretty soon. 
I’ll ride off by myself, but not to Berlin : 
that I promise you.” 

Paul was not a little shocked at this threat, 
for well he knew that Hans was in a mood to 
carry it out. He therefore kept silent, but 
his doubtful countenance showed that he was 
by no means satisfied. Hans troubled him- 
self very little about this. He talked and 
joked with the soldiers, riding gayly along 
with them over hill and dale. The sunny 
landscape gave him no hint of a dark fu- 
ture before him. 

Several days passed uneventfully away. 
They were in a friendly country, and easily 
found comfortable quarters and a hearty 
welcome. Paul inquired everywhere for 


LITTLE HANS. 


49 


tidings of his major’s regiment, but could 
hear nothing which was to be depended 
upon. The troops were being sent now 
here, now there, according to the necessities 
of the war, and nothing certain was to be 
learned of their movements. Paul therefore 
pushed on in uncertainty, and at last, one 
evening, came up with a large division of 
Prussian troops in the ranks of which anx- 
iety and uneasiness visibly reigned. Paul 
soon learned that they had now arrived in 
the face of the enemy, and that an engage- 
ment was likely soon to take place. 

‘‘ It has come at length,” he cried, ‘‘ and 
now the alternative is to cut our way 
through the enemy or to die an honorable 
soldier’s death upon the field. — But what is 
to be done with you, youngster? Do you 
see now what a stupid thing you have 
done ?” 

‘‘ I don’t see it at all,” said Hans, stoutly ; 
“I shall fight my way through like the 
others. What’s my sword for, I should 

4 


50 


LITTLE HANS. 


like to know? Don’t you for one moment 
imagine that I am afraid of the French- 
men, Paul.” 

‘‘ No, no !” said Paul, earnestly ; ‘‘ that 
will never do. I could never answer for it 
to your father if I took such a risk. Besides, 
you promised me not to mix yourself up in 
any fight, and you must keep your word 
like an honorable boy. Stay here now ; 
I’ll go and see what is going on.” 

The good fellow hastened away to seek for 
news here and there among old comrades and 
acquaintances. After an hour he came back 
with a less troubled countenance. 

‘‘All right,” said he; “ we are bound to get 
through, and it won’t last long. But that 
is nothing to you, for I have found a safe 
hiding-place for you. Follow me quick, 
Hans. However the battle goes, you at 
least shall be out of danger. Hurry, my 
boy ! I remember this neighborhood from 
old times, and I know that there is a hut 
over yonder in the woods. It is empty now. 


LITTLE HANS. 


51 


but you will be safe there ; for the battle 
will surely not reach as far as the forest/’ 

“ But I won’t hide away,” said Hans ; “ I 
too will fight in the battle.” 

“ None of that !” said the sergeant, sternly. 
“ That game is played out ; and if you don’t 
keep your promise willingly, I shall force 
you to keep it. Come along ; we have no 
time to lose.” 

Hans dared no longer oppose the old ser- 
geant’s decision. Paul seized the pony’s 
bridle, put spurs to his own horse, and 
away they flew at the top of their speed 
toward the forest, which lay half a league 
from the camp, upon a hillside. They soon 
found the hut. 

Here you are to stay, Hans,” said Paul. 
‘‘ Give me your word of honor not to stir 
from this place till I return or the battle is 
over. If God wills that I fall, you must go 
straight back to Berlin; if I live, I will 
come here for you. But no more fooling 
from this time out. If I am not back by 


52 


LITTLE HANS. 


sunset, you need not expect me, and may 
leave this place. Do you understand?’’ 

“ Very well,” said Hans, “ but — ” 

“ No huts,” interrupted the sergeant. 
“ You give me your word, or, as true as I 
live. I’ll bind you to the nearest tree with 
your own saddle-girths. So, then, either — 
or. Which will you do ?” 

‘‘Of course I must stay,” said Hans, 
giving way before the sergeant’s firmness. 
“ Yes, yes ! I’ll wait here patiently until 
evening, although it will be stupid enough. 
But, Paul, you’ll surely come back?” 

“ Surely, if I live, so help me God !” 
replied the sergeant. “ Don’t be afraid, 
child. And here : take this money. If 
I fall, I * shall not need it ; and if I live, I 
shall come for you. And now good-bye, 
Hans. Be a good boy and keep your word 
honorably, and everything will come out 
right. God keep you, my child I” 

“And you, dear good Paul,” said Hans, 
whose heart softened at the parting. “ Don’t 


LITTLE HANS. 


53 


worry about me. I will be good, and not 
stir from this place till evening; that I 
faithfully promise you.” 

‘‘ Good ! Now I am easy,” answered Paul. 
“And I must go. Hark ! there goes the 
first cannon. Good-bye, Hans, good-bye! 
We shall meet again, please God.” One 
last embrace, and Paul hastened away. 

Hans looked sadly after him. Gladly 
would he have followed, but his promise 
chained him to the spot, and rather would 
he lose his life than break his word. 


CHAPTER III. 


** Deceit is in the heart of them that 
imagine evil.^^ 

rpHE bloody battle was over, and the peace 
and quiet of the grave lay upon the wide 
field where a few hours ago the rattling of 
weapons was heard and the trampling of 
horses shook the trembling earth. Death 
had reaped a rich harvest. Hundreds of 
corpses lay stretched upon the bloody ground, 
and many a youth who had ridden forth that 
morning in the fullness of strength to do 
battle with the foe of his fatherland now 
lay with outstretched limbs and staring eyes, 
a bullet in his breast, moistening the up- 
torn turf with his heart’s blood. Everywhere, 
everywhere, were death, destruction, desola- 
tion, empty powder- chests, wrecked cannons, 
broken-down wagons, mangled horses lying in 

54 


LITTLE HANS. 


55 


heaps, scattered weapons, guns, sabres, armor, 
all wildly mingled together. 

How many hopes lay buried here ! How 
many joys and griefs were here for ever 
silenced ! What a sorrowful world, full of 
tears and sorrow and care, was caused by 
this day’s battle ! How many parents had 
it robbed of an only son, the one love of 
their hearts, the hope of their lives, the 
support of their old age ! And as yet they 
had no suspicion that the battle had taken 
place ; they still hoped that a merciful prov- 
idence would ward off the bullet from their 
loved one. Perhaps at this very hour they 
were cradled in sweet dreams of the future. 
In spirit they saw the loved one returning 
from the conflict, his helmet wound with 
laurel, crowned with flowers. Filled with 
joyful hope, their hearts went out to meet 
him. And here lay the youth, and the cold 
wind swept over his stalwart frame, and the 
eyes which once shone so joyfully stared 
stonily in death ; the lips which used to 


66 


LITTLE HANS. 


speak such loving words were dumb for 
ever. 

The evening closed in. The Prussians 
and Saxons had courageously cut their way 
through the enemy, but the main body of 
the French were following close upon their 
footsteps. The battle-field was deserted. 
Only ravens and vultures swept croaking 
above it, rejoicing in the rich feast which 
lay outspread before them upon the field of 
death. The golden rays of the setting sun 
fell shining over the horrible scene of deso- 
lation, lending a deceitful flicker of life to 
the still features of the fallen, who would 
nevermore open their eyes to the light of 
day. Even yet might perhaps be heard the 
last rustling, the last sigh of the wounded, 
awakening from the deep paralysis of un- 
consciousness only to fall into the deeper 
paralysis of death. Then all was still again, 
and the evening wind and the sighs of the 
dying together died away in the far dis- 
tance. 


LITTLE HANS. 


57 


As the last rays of the setting sun were 
fading, a rider upon a white horse came 
tearing out of the forest which bordered 
the battle-field. Here, there, upon the 
bloody field he rode, seeking everywhere for 
some loved object. At last he reined in his 
horse amid the heaps of slain, wrung his 
hands in agony, and looked with streaming 
eyes upon the horrible sight around him. 

‘‘ Paul ! dear good Paul !’’ he cried, with 
trembling voice. “ Dear good Paul, where 
are you?^’ 

The piercing cry echoed wide over the 
quiet field, but no answer came. Only a 
raven, frightened off from the carcase of 
a noble steed, flapped his dark wings and 
flew shrieking away. 

‘^Paul, Paul!’’ cried the rider anew, al- 
most shrieking in his agony. ‘‘For God’s 
sake, Paul, answer me! You surely will 
not desert me. Paul ! Paul ! O God !” 

All remained dumb and still as before. 
The dead ears heard nothing, the pale lips 


68 


LITTLE HANS. 


gave no reply ; and the boy — for the rider 
was only a boy — hid his face in both hands 
and wept so bitterly that the tears forced 
their way through his closed fingers. 

“ But there is no use in crying/’ he said 
to himself at last; and he wiped the tears 
from his cheeks and pushed back the damp 
hair from his forehead. ‘‘ I will not cry ; I 
will look for him — look till I find him, for 
he must be here. He must, or he would 
never have left me alone.” 

He sprang from his horse, stroked the 
pretty creature caressingly and cast a search- 
ing glance over the battle-field. He was 
standing upon a slight eminence, and he 
looked sharply around in the evening light, 
for the western sky was still bright with the 
sunset. He was a slight, delicate lad, though 
well built and active. He wore a blue uni- 
form slashed with red ; a little field- cap 
covered his head, and at his belt hung a 
small sword more fit for ornament than for 


use. 


LITTLE HANS. 


59 


It was evident that this was a soldier’s 
boy. His comely face, with its great shin- 
ing black eyes, was used to sun and wind, and, 
delicate and well cut as were his features, in 
his face there was a look which told that 
the boy had long since left the nursery, and 
had learned to endure fatigues such as do 
not often fall to the lot of a child of his 
age. We have already made this boy’s 
acquaintance: it was Hans. 

The pony at his side suited well his mas- 
ter. The well-shaped head, the slender 
limbs, the short, silky white hair, which 
shone like silver, the long sweeping tail, — all 
bespoke his Arabian origin, as every move- 
ment showed the confidential terms on which 
he stood with his master. The great speak- 
ing eyes of the pretty little creature looked 
almost sympathetically upon the boy ; he 
rubbed his head against his master’s shoul- 
der and neighed softly, as if he understood 
the sorrowful situation and would bid him 
be of good cheer. 


60 


LITTLE HANS. 


The boy seemed to understand the creat- 
ure’s meaning. He stroked his head loving- 
ly, and said, 

‘‘Yes, yes, Rustan ! I well know how 
good and true you are. But Paul — where 
can dear Paul be ? And what shall we do 
if we don’t find him ? Ah, Bustan ! then 
we shall be alone and forsaken and help- 
less in the world. And father will expect 
us, but we shall not come ; for Paul is the 
only one who knows how to find him. Oh, 
that dear naughty Paul ! Why did he not 
let me go into the battle with him ? Then 
we should know where he is, for we would 
have stayed faithfully beside him. Now he 
is gone, and he is dead ; I am sure he is : he 
would certainly not have left us thus if he 
were not. But, all the same, we must look 
for him, Rustan. Perhaps he is only 
wounded and we can help him. Come, 
Rustan, come! We shall easily know him 
by his uniform; if he is anywhere on this 
dreadful field, we shall surely find him.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


61 


With a quick resolution, wonderful in so 
young a boy, Hans raised his head, cast a 
searching glance around the battle-field and 
with his eye fixed a place where death seemed 
to have raged with unusual fury among the 
ranks of the combatants. Whole heaps of 
horses and men in shining cuirasses lay 
there together, their bright weapons glit- 
tering in the evening red. 

He must be lying there if he is here at 
all,’’ murmured the boy. ‘‘ That is his com- 
pany : I know it by the helmets with the 
long horsehair plumes. I must go and 
look for him there. — O God, do let me 
find him ! It would be too, too dreadful 
for me to be left alone in this strange coun- 
try, so full of enemies, and where no one 
cares for me.” 

While he spoke he was hastening toward 
the designated spot, and his horse, after 
standing a moment in surprise gazing after 
his young master, trotted along after him, 
and soon overtook him. 


62 


LITTLE HANS. 


The boy paid no attention to him, for his 
whole soul was intent upon the search for 
his friend. He soon reached the place 
where the dead lay heaped, and with eager 
haste he scanned each pale face, turned each 
bloody head, examined the rigid features, al- 
ways trembling with fear, not of the bloody 
dead themselves, but of finding among them 
the true, kind face of his missing friend. It 
was pitiful to see how the faithful horse fol- 
lowed each footstep of his little master, and 
how softly and contentedly he neighed as 
the boy, with lightened countenance, spoke 
at last : 

‘‘ Thank God he is not here ! so he is 
either put to flight or taken prisoner, and 
he will soon come back to us.’’ 

But then he wept again, poor child ! for 
it was really not so certain that Paul would 
soon come, and it might even be that he 
was lying on the other side of the battle- 
field. And even if he were only a prisoner, 
how could he get free soon enough to look 



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LITTLE HANS. 


63 


after the poor child ? So much as this 
seemed quite sure — that Paul was gone for 
a long time, if not for ever. And now he 
felt so lost and forsaken that he sat down 
upon the grass in the midst of the dead, 
and, giving way again to his bitter sorrow, 
wept and sobbed enough to move the stones 
to pity. He tried again and again to con- 
trol himself, but in vain. The loss of his 
friend, with the horrible sights around him, 
quite unnerved the boy and broke his stout 
spirit. Even the caresses of his little horse, 
which rubbed sympathizingly against him, 
were insufficient to cheer him. A feeling 
of utter helplessness and desolation came 
over him, and was too bitter for the poor 
boy’s young heart to overcome. 

Night came on. Hans heeded it not, for 
his eyes were dimmed with tears and he 
looked not around him. Hour after hour 
passed away in wild grief, until the white 
moon arose in the eastern sky and shed 
her pale rays over the bloody plain and the 


64 


LITTLE HANS. 


stiff corpses and the weeping boy. Yet 
still he sat there, buried in grief, not noti- 
cing the light of the moon, nor heeding 
how the horse neighed nor how uneasily 
he pawed the turf. 

Suddenly a tall figure stepped between 
the boy and the moonlight; a heavy hand 
fell upon the child’s shoulder and shook it,, 
and a rough voice said, 

‘‘ Halloo there, youngster ! what are you 
howling about? And what are you doing 
here at this time of night?” 

The boy shivered and looked up. By 
the light of the moon he saw a dark, sinis- 
ter face with unkempt hair and beard and 
wild deep-set eyes, which were bent upon 
him half in surprise, half in curiosity. 

Hans was not frightened at this strange 
apparition ; he felt rather abhorrence than 
fury, and answered boldly : 

What business is it of yours what I am 
looking for ? Leave me in peace, man ! I 
want nothing from you.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


66 


‘‘ Oh ! oho !” cried the man, with a coarse 
laugh. ‘‘ You are short and sweet, my fine 
fellow; but understand me : I intend to know 
what you are looking for on this bloody field 
in the middle of the night. Are you per- 
haps looking for your father or for some 
other relative?” 

“ No, no ! not my father, but for dear 
good Paul,” answered the boy, half intimi- 
dated by the man’s rough manner. ‘‘He 
is gone, and I am all alone in a strange 
country ; and my father is a great way off, 
and no one can tell me where his regiment 
is — in France perhaps, or perhaps on the 
Rhine ; and I don’t know what in the world 
I ought to do.” 

“ Ha !” cried the man, suddenly. “ So you 
are quite alone and helpless and without 
money, boy?” 

“ Yes, yes ! money enough,” answered the 
boy. “Paul gave it all to me before he 
went into the battle. He thought it would 
be safer with me for the time than with him, 


5 


66 


LITTLE HANS. 


and now it is in the pocket of Rustan’s sad- 
dle — a whole lot of gold. Oh, I’d give all 
the gold if Paul would only come back.” 

The man’s eyes shone greedily as the boy 
spoke of gold, and for a moment a covetous 
leer lighted up his dark eyes. 

“ Listen, youngster,” he said, in a softer 
voice — listen. I pity you from the bottom 
of my heart. You can’t stay here alone on 
the battle-field ; it is a fearful place on a 
moonlight night for a boy like you, and I 
wonder that you haven’t been scared to 
death already. I’ll tell you what : come to 
my hut with me. It is not far from here ; 
only a league away in the forest. I am an 
honorable man — a miner — poor, to be sure, 
but I am sorry for you. Come along with 
me.” 

“ But Paul ?” answered the boy, who felt 
no inclination to go with this strange, wild- 
looking man, who at first had been so rough 
and now had suddenly become so suspiciously 
friendly. A secret voice warned him against 


LITTLE HANS. 


67 


the man, and he would much rather have 
spent the night alone among the corpses 
than go with him. ‘‘ But Paul he said. 

“ What if he should come back and look for 
me, and should call me and I not be here to , 
answer him ? No, no ! Go along, man ; I 
will stay here.” 

“ What a fool you are !” cried the man, 
in his former harsh manner. You have no 
idea what dangers are around you here,” he 
added, more mildly. “ It is not safe here 
to-night. Thieves and tramps will come to 
rob the dead by the moonlight. They will 
glide around like wolves, and search the 
pockets of the fallen who cannot protect 
themselves; and if they come across you, 
they won^t be as tender of you as I am. So 
come along. You will be safe in my hut : 
my wife will take care of you ; and if your 
Paul comes — though I don’t believe he ever 
will — he’ll soon find out where you are. 
Come ! I mean well by you, and you shall 
be well cared for at my hut.” 


68 


LITTLE HANS. 


But suppose I won’t go ?” said the boy, 
with spirit. 

Then you must, stupid !” cried the man, 
hotly. ‘‘But don’t be a fool,” he added, 
coaxingly. “ You understand : if I meant 
ill by you, I could easily get rid of you here. 
One shot through the head, and not a human 
soul would ask after you. You would just 
be buried with the others, and that would 
be the end of you. So come along with me, 
and don’t stop to think about it. The night 
is cold, and — Listen ! The body-robbers! 
There they come. See there!” The man 
pointed into the distance, and by the moon- 
light the boy saw a dark figure creeping 
over the ground as noiselessly as a shadow, 
stooping now here, now there, to search 
among the dead. 

A convulsive shudder of fear swept over 
the boy and made his heart stand still. 
The man saw the impression made upon 
him, and well knew how to take advantage 
of it. 


LITTLE HANS. 


69 


“ You see now, boy,” he whispered, ‘‘ that 
I did not lie to you. Those wolves there 
would soon have had you in their clutches 
if I had not come. Hurry ! Get on your 
horse and come with me. I tell you, you 
will be well off in my hut, and my wife 
will take care of you. You are lucky to have 
fallen into my hands, and not into the claws 
of that sneaking wolf there.” 

Although the boy still felt a strong repug- 
nance against the man, who was apparently 
so kind and friendly, he resisted no longer, 
but stood up and swung himself dextrous- 
ly into the saddle. 

« Very well,” he said, firmly ; “ I will 
follow you, man, and the service which you 
may render me shall be richly rewarded. 
Go before me and show the way.” 

The man cast a strangely surprised glance 
upon the boy, who had suddenly taken upon 
him so firm and commanding a bearing. He 
sat upon his horse and looked around as if 
he were accustomed to have his orders im- 


70 


LITTLE HANS. 


plicitly obeyed. A rough reprimand rose 
to the man’s lips, but he controlled himself ; 
and, muttering a few words in his beard, he 
turned and hastened with long strides over 
the battle-field. 

The boy followed close upon his heels. 
The horse picked his way carefully among 
the corpses of the fallen, stepped lightly 
over the fragments of carts and powder- 
wagons, and soon they reached the forest. 
Here the man relaxed his speed. 

‘‘ Here we are safe,” said he ; ‘‘ the forest 
is dark, and that wolf’s eyes cannot see 
through its shadows. Lucky enough that 
we have escaped him.” 

‘‘Ho!” cried the boy, contemptuously. 
“ Rustan is fleet, and, once in the saddle, no 
body-robber could catch up with me.” 

“A bullet is fleeter than your little horse,” 
replied the dark man, shortly ; and he seized 
the horse’s bridle with a strong hand, as if he 
was afraid that the boy might yet escape 
him. 


LITTLE HANS, 


71 


Hans suspected his companion’s thought, 
and cried angrily, 

“Let go of the bridle! Quick! I can 
ride by myself, and don’t need your lead- 
ing. Let go, or I’ll slash you over the 
head with ray sword.” 

“ Fool ! stupid !” laughed the man, scorn- 
fully. “ It is too late now ; you are in my 
power. Leave your sword in the scabbard, 
or you shall feel the weight of my fist.” 

While the man spoke the sword leaped 
like lightning from its scabbard and flashed 
over his head. But the rascal was upon his 
guard. He sprang aside without releasing 
his hold on the bridle, and the blow fell 
upon empty air. Before Hans could follow 
it up with another the man seized him, tore 
him out of the saddle, threw him upon the 
ground, and, snatching the sword, broke it 
into pieces and threw them far away into 
the thicket. 

“ You see that I am not to be trifled with, 
boy,” he said, grimly. “ Get up, now, and 


72 


LITTLE HANS. 


walk by my side. You don’t throw a leg 
over that horse again ; and if you offer 
any more impertinence, I’ll knock you 
down. Get up and come along.” 

‘‘ You are a scoundrel !” said the boy, 
hotly. “ First you give me soft words 
and fine promises, and when I have con- 
sented to go with you you maltreat me. 
You are a low-lived scoundrel, to treat a 
helpless boy in this way.” 

“ Maybe I am a scoundrel,” said the man, 
laughing derisively ; “ you’ll soon find out. 
Come along, now — here, at my side. I’ll 
lead the horse, and you’d better not try to 
run away if you know what is good for 
yourself.” The man’s threats sounded so 
fierce and determined, his eyes shone so 
disagreeably, that the boy could not resist 
the most dreadful apprehensions. 

Hans rose from the earth and followed the 
man, who strode straight through the wood ; 
but he could not quite succeed in controlling 
his high spirits. 


LITTLE HANS. 


73 


‘‘ Very well,” he said ; ‘‘ you are a scoun- 
drel, all the same. I am in your power and 
can’t revenge myself, but God will pay you 
for this.” 

“ We’ll see about that,” replied the man, 
with a sneer ; “ for the present, I have you. 
And now be still ; I don’t need your ser- 
mons. Do you hear?” 

The boy was silent; with drooping head 
he walked beside the man. The night hid 
the tears which sorrow and anxiety forced 
from him, and only a half-suppressed sob 
from time to time betrayed the fact that he 
suffered. His guide paid no attention to his 
sorrows. Silent and morose, plunged in dark 
thoughts, he strode along. They reached the 
termination of the forest and came out upon 
a bleak, stony region. Up hill and down 
led the path. 

At last the man halted before a low hut 
which stood alone in a dark, narrow valley, 
and said. 

Here we are. To-night you may sleep. 


74 


LITTLE HANS. 


and to-morrow we will have some more talk 
together/^ 

Hans made no answer. 

The man knocked at the house door. It 
was opened from within, and a woman came 
out. 

‘‘ Take the child in,” said the man to her. 
“ Don’t leave him. I will only put the 
horse out and come right in.” 

He pushed the boy into the house, led the 
horse into a shed, fastened him securely, 
took off the saddle — which was heavy with 
gold — and carried it into the house, care- 
fully bolting and barring the door behind 
him. 


CHAPTEE IV. 


** Follow not that which is evil, but that 
which is good.’’ 

TT was a poor, miserable hut in which the 
^ boy found himself. Squalor and penury 
looked from the four naked walls; not a 
single luxury was there, only the most 
necessary articles. A dilapidated table stood 
in the middle of the room ; a wooden bench 
extended along the wall behind the tile 
stove ; an ancient arm-chair with torn and 
ragged covering stood near. Behind the 
door was a rack with a few earthen plates 
and pots, and in a corner stood a pickaxe, 
a crowbar, a hammer, a large mallet, and a 
few other such tools as a miner might use in 
his work. These were all that the boy could 
see by the feeble glimmer of a miner’s lamp, 
which was the only light in the room. 

75 


76 


LITTLE HANS. 


The woman silently pointed to the bench, 
and the boy sat down and gazed earnestly 
upon his companion, who at the same time 
looked at him in silent wonder. She was 
not old — hardly in her thirtieth year — but 
misery, want, care and privation had blanched 
her cheeks and stamped upon them the marks 
of suffering, so that she looked older than she 
really was. Her blue eyes had a fixed, hope- 
less look, and the firmly-closed lips showed 
that no kindly smile had played about them 
for a long, long time. Her miserable dress 
accorded with the squalor of the hut. A 
coarse woolen gown, with a kerchief equally 
coarse about her neck, comprised her only 
garments. Yet her appearance gave the boy 
a feeling of confidence, and he did not 
shrink from her as from her husband, who 
now came in carrying the saddle over his 
arm. He walked through the room without 
speaking and opened a second door, which 
led into a bedroom. Here he laid the 
saddle down, returned to the outer room. 


LITTLE HANS. 


77 


fastened the door behind him, seated himself 
in the arm-chair near the stove and looked 
gloomily before him. A heavy, oppressive 
stillness reigned for some time. 

“What child is this?’’ were the words 
with which the woman at last broke the si- 
lence. “ Where did you find him, Wenzel? 
He is a delicate little fellow, and ill suits 
our house.” 

“ Suit or not,” said the man, without look- 
ing up, “for the present he stays here. 
Take him to bed, and afterward I have a 
word to say to you, Sabina. Go along; it is 
late, and I am tired.” 

“And where shall he sleep?” asked the 
woman. “ We have only one chamber, and 
no extra bed.” 

“Put him in the loft; you can shake 
down some hay for him. He may as well 
get used to it ; he will have to sleep on it in 
future. But lock him in safe, for the fellow 
is sly and would rather run away than stay 
where he is well off.” 


78 


LITTLE HANS. 


Come, then, little one,” said the woman, 
turning to the boy ; I will show you the 
way. What is your name?” 

‘‘ Hans,” replied the boy, rising from the 
bench. ‘‘ Go on ; I will follow you.” 

The woman opened the house door, point- 
ed to a ladder which stood in a corner of the 
covered entrance, and said, 

‘‘ Go up there.” 

The boy climbed up silently, and the 
woman followed with the lamp. 

“ Look around you, child,” she said as 
Hans reached the top of the ladder ; and 
she held the lamp up high, that he might 
see. “The hay lies on both sides of you; 
do you see it ?” she said. “ Lay yourself 
down and sleep sound. Don’t be afraid, 
either ; God is over all, and he will not for- 
sake you. Good-night.” 

Without waiting for the boy’s reply, the 
woman closed the trap-door, bolted it from 
below, as her husband had bidden her, 
descended the ladder and removed it to 


LITTLE HANS. 


79 


another corner. She stood a few moments 
lost in thought, looking fixedly upon the 
ground and shaking her head. 

“ I am sure that Wenzel means ill toward 
the boy,” she said to herself, ‘‘ but it shall 
not be — it shall not if I can hinder it. The 
face of the poor child cuts me to the heart, 
he looks like such a little gentleman, and — ” 

‘‘ Sabina, Sabina ! where are you staying 
so long?” cried her husband from the kitchen, 
interrupting her thoughts. Don’t stay mak- 
ing a fool of that youngster, or I’ll come and 
fetch you.” 

The woman shuddered and hastened back 
into the room. 

‘‘ Do be quiet, Wenzel !” she said. “ I 
had to bolt the door and lift the ladder to 
one side. The boy can’t get away now.” 

“ Good !” returned the man, somewhat 
more gently. ‘‘He had better not try to 
get away, or it will be the worse for him. 
Go now and bring me the saddle. Let’s 
see what is in it.” 


80 


LITTLE HANS. 


The woman obeyed submissively, and 
brought out the saddle, which she laid 
upon the table. 

Wenzel searched it thoroughly, and drew 
out of one of the pockets a heavy purse. 
He poured its contents upon the table, and 
his eyes sparkled as he saw the heap of gold- 
pieces glimmering yellow in the smoky glare 
of the lamp. 

‘‘ Ha !” he cried ; “ the youngster did not 
lie. Here are great riches, wife; this prom- 
ises golden days in the future.” He hastily 
counted the gold, arranging it in little piles. 
“Two hundred and thirty,” said he, with 
suppressed exultation. “Now we can buy 
a little place in the next village, and I 
sha’nT need to carry hammer and pickaxe 
any longer. WeVe got a fat thing of it, 
I tell you. No more miner’s life for me. 
What! you don’t rejoice over this lucky 
find, Sabina? I tell you this pile of gold 
is ours; don’t you understand?” 

The wife shook her head as she answered : 


LITTLE HANS. 


81 


‘‘ Don’t allow Satan to tempt you this way, 
Wenzel. The gold is not ours; it belongs to 
the boy.” 

‘‘Nonsense, you foolish woman!” cried 
Wenzel, with a scornful laugh. “ The gold 
is our lawful plunder, and will do us good 
service.” 

“And the boy?” asked Sabina. 

“ The boy I the boy !” repeated Wenzel, 
frowning darkly. “ Yes, the boy must be 
seen to ; he must go to the country that no 
one ever comes back from. Who knows 
anything about the boy? He disappears: 
who can say that he has disappeared from 
my hut? No one saw me.” 

“No one, perhaps, but God,” said the 
wife, in a firm voice, although her heart 
quaked and the blood throbbed in her veins. 
“ Don’t forget that God sees everything and 
will bring every evil deed to the light of 
day. Take care, Wenzel, take care 1” 

The man shivered at his wife’s solemn 
words, but one glance at the gold, which 


82 


LITTLE HANS. 


sparkled enticingly before his eyes, gave 
him a wicked courage. 

“ Folly he cried, sneeringly. Who is 
going to ask after the boy? I found him 
alone upon the battle-field ; his protector is 
dead or a prisoner ; his father, far away. In 
a battle where so many fell a ball may easily 
have found the youngster. Just hush up, 
wife ; what do you know of such things ? I 
don’t do it out of ill-will to him; bloodshed 
is a troublesome thing, else I would have 
given him his finishing-stroke out there on 
the field. That would have been the best 
way, and you wouldn’t have known anything 
about it, either. But something held me 
back. I couldn’t do it; I couldn’t hurt 
him. Besides, I didn’t know whether it 
would pay. But now he must die.” 

“ He must not — he must not !” said the 
woman, firmly, though with a face as pale as 
death. ‘‘ Think of your conscience, Wenzel, 
and of God’s law, and of your everlasting 
salvation.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


83 


Wenzel stared gloomily at the heap of 
gold. 

“ Pooh I” he said ; “ what a fuss about a 
boy ! Such a chance doesn’t come twice. 
If I should let him live, he would betray 
me, and I should have to give up every- 
thing and go to prison. No, no ! Best 
make an end of him, and then I am safe. 
And now not another word about it.” 

‘‘But I will speak, and you must, you 
shall, listen, Wenzel, to me, your wife,” cried 
the woman, throwing herself at his feet and 
clasping his knees. “ I have kept silent 
about many of your doings, but silence now 
would be murder. Before you kill the boy 
you must walk over my dead body. Think 
a moment, Wenzel ! Don’t let yourself be 
tempted to such wickedness. Remember 
that there is a mighty God above who knows 
everything, even the most hidden sin.” 

“God doesn’t tell tales,” said the man, 
with an uncomfortable smile, “ but the boy 
would betray everything if he lived. I tell 


84 


LITTLE HANS. 


you, wife, he must die, and that at once. 
Let me go; I must make an end of this.” 
He tore himself from her clinging arms, cast 
her roughly aside and snatched up a hatchet 
which stood in a corner amongst other tools. 

Sabina uttered a shriek and wrung her 
hands, then, with sudden decision, rushed to 
the door and, blocking it with her body, said, 

“ Very well ; if you want to murder any 
one, murder me first, or else I shall rush out 
and proclaim your wickedness to every wind 
of heaven. Thou shalt not kill — shalt not! 
I will not permit it, as true as God is above 
us.” 

“ Get out of the way,” growled the man, 
with suppressed wrath. ‘‘ Get out, I say, or 
I shall forget that you are my wife and do 
something that I shall be sorry for. Get 
out of the way !” 

“ No, no ! I will not move, Wenzel ; I 
would rather die,” replied the trembling 
woman, with the utmost firmness. ‘‘ But 
hear me, Wenzel. Your soul thirsts after 


LITTLE HANS. 


85 


gold. Well, the gold shall be yours without 
danger — without the horrible crime which 
you have in mind. Keep it, but spare the 
boy’s life. Keep him here ; say that he is 
the son of my sister, who has emigrated. 
The child will keep quiet; he is easily intimi- 
dated, and you will be spared the fearful sin. 
Make him promise to keep silent, and all 
will be well.” 

The man looked thoughtful, and put the 
menacing weapon back into the corner. 

“ But you don’t know the fellow,” he said, 
at length ; he is high-spirited and courage- 
ous. He struck at me with his boy’s sword. 
He will never keep quiet in this world. 
And then the beautiful gold will be lost, 
and that Paul that he is always talking 
about will come, and likely enough the 
father too. No; let me alone, Sabina. 
The youngster must be dealt with.” 

“Not so fast, Wenzel — not so fast,” plead- 
ed the woman. “ Take the gold — take it, al- 
though I know that it will never do you any 


86 


LITTLE HANS. 


good — but spare the boy. Just think if his 
father really should come ! He is certainly 
rich ; and if he hears that you have taken 
the boy home and have been good to him, 
and you give him back to his father\s arms 
safe and sound, do you think he will ask 
after the gold ? He will see nothing, hear 
nothing, but his boy. Perhaps he will give 
you a large reward in the bargain. Think 
of that ! The boy may be a real blessing if 
you spare his life, but his murder will stick 
to you for ever, and God’s curse will rest 
upon you for ever and ever and you will 
never have another peaceful hour. I am 
your true friend, Wenzel. Do think of all 
this.” 

The good woman’s entreaties seemed at 
last to have some weight with the hardened 
miscreant. He silently turned around and 
laid the hatchet down in the corner from 
which he had taken it. 

Perhaps you ar§ right,” said he ; “ mur- 
der is an awful thing, to be sure. I’ll con- 


LITTLE HANS. 


87 


sider it all. To-morrow morning I’ll talk 
with the youngster ; if his father is rich, 
perhaps it might do, and perhaps not. Yes, 
perhaps it would be all right if his father 
came. But what if only that Paul should 
come — that Paul whom the boy was looking 
for? He would ask after the gold as sure 
as guns, and in the end — No, my way is 
the safest.” 

“No, no! the worst — the most dangerous,” 
cried Sabina. “Even if that Paul should 
come, what harm would that do ? You have 
only to declare that you never saw the gold. 
Hide it ; they will believe that the child lost 
it. You are safe, any way. Oh, Wenzel, 
Wenzel, anything is better than murder; 
for that can never be undone.” 

“ Well,” said the man, breathing heavily, 
“ the youngster may live, but woe be to him 
if he betrays me ! He’ll die then : you may 
as well make that clear to him. And now 
go to bed ; I will come when I have made 
the gold safe.” He gathered the gold-pieces 


88 


LITTLE HANS. 


together, put them back into the purse and 
went out to bury them in some secret corner. 
“ You stay here,” he said to his wife ; “ not 
even you shall know where I hide this 
treasure. Don’t you look after me ; it will 
be the worse for you, and for the boy too.” 
He went out at the door. His wife had no 
wish to look after him. 

As her husband left the room Sabina sank 
sobbing upon her knees, covered her face 
with her hands, and thanked God that he 
had given her strength to prevent a horrible 
crime. She was still kneeling when her 
husband returned. His rough call aroused 
her, and she went quietly to bed. Soon all 
the dwellers in the little hut were slumber- 
ing — most sweetly of all, upon his bed of 
hay, the boy whom God had protected, 
though he knew it not and deserved it 
not. 

The morning sun had hardly driven away 
the shades of night when the pony’s clear 
neighing awakened little Hans. He sat up 


LITTLE HANS. 


89 


and looked around him in astonishment. 
The events of the past night seemed to him 
like a dream, but he quickly shook off the 
stupor of sleep, and a distinct recollection 
of everything that had happened on the 
preceding day rushed upon him — the bat- 
tle, the fruitless search for Paul, the meeting 
with Wenzel and its unfortunate results. It 
was. no disturbing dream, then, but a dread- 
ful reality : he was in the power of a man 
whom he could not but fear. There was no 
longer any doubt ; his miserable bed of hay 
upon the floor, the dark garret crowded with 
all sorts of lumber, the neighing and stamp- 
ing of his little horse, which came clear to 
his ear, — all convinced him of his forlorn 
and dangerous condition. At first his com- 
plete helplessness stunned him ; he wrung 
his hands and, sighing “ Oh, what will be- 
come of me?’’ sank back upon his bed of 
hay and wept. 

A thought which darted through his mind 
made him start up with hope. The thought 


90 


LITTLE HANS. 


was flight. Down below stood the horse and 
seemed to call for his rider. If he could 
only succeed in getting out of the loft un- 
noticed, could only reach his faithful Rustan 
unobserved and swing himself upon his back, 
then he was safe ; for he knew the speed and 
endurance of his little pony. Wenzel might 
run a long time before he could overtake 
him. 

With beating heart and bated breath he 
crept softly to the trap -door, bent down his 
ear and listened. All was still ; not a stir, 
not a step, to be heard. He drew a long 
breath, and the hope of success swelled his 
heart. He stooped to lift up the trap-door, 
but in vain : he could not move it, although 
he exerted his utmost strength. At last, 
through a crack, he saw the heavy bolts ; he 
saw that the ladder by which he had climbed 
to the loft the night before was no longer in 
its place ; and with a despairing cry of baf- 
fled hope he lifted himself up. 

I am a prisoner,” he murmured. “ I 


LITTLE HANS. 


91 


can’t get away, for he has looked out for 
everything, the shameless robber!” 

The poor boy’s soul was full of bitterness, 
but presently a kind of confidence came to 
his aid and raised his spirits. 

‘‘ J ust you wait a while and see if I don’t 
get even with you yet,” he said, looking 
searchingly around his prison for an open- 
ing of some kind. 

To be sure, there was a little window, or 
scuttle, in the roof, through which the rays 
of the sun were streaming. Hans hastened 
thither and forced his head up through the 
opening, hoping to be able to escape by this 
way. But this hope too was blighted. The 
window was far too narrow to let him pass 
through, and a glance down into the barn- 
yard below showed that it was surrounded 
by a tolerably high wall. He had, indeed, 
little doubt of being able to climb over it ; 
but the pony — how could he ever surmount 
the difficulty? And without the horse, even 
if he could have brought his mind to abandon 


92 


LITTLE HANS. 


the faithful animal — without the horse his 
flight would be in vain. He would be 
caught and brought back within the first 
hour. Hans perceived this, and again, quite 
discouraged, threw himself down upon his bed 
of hay to await his fate in the dumbness of 
despair. 

Almost an hour passed away in bitter and 
anxious foreboding, when a rustling at the 
trap-door warned him that the people below 
had bethought themselves of him. The 
door rose up, and the soft voice of the woman 
who the night before had conducted him to 
his resting-place invited him to descend. 

Don’t be afraid, boy,” she added, in a 
whisper. ‘‘ Show your courage and trust in 
God. The worst danger is over, and he will 
take care of you. Come quickly and have 
patience, and everything will turn out 
right.” 

The boy saw that nothing was left for 
him but to obey. He therefore followed 
her down the ladder and entered the room. 


LITTLE HANS. 


93 


where he experienced a more friendly re- 
ception from Wenzel than he could have 
expected. 

“ Here you are, youngster,” the man ex- 
claimed ; “ I thought you would not perish 
if you did sleep on a bed of hay for one 
night. Now your mind is clear and we can 
consider what is to be done about you. First 
of all, however, I must know what your con- 
dition in life is and how you happened to be 
on the battle-field at night. We know that 
your name is Hans, but that is all. What 
is your father’s name, and in what business 
is he engaged?” 

“I’ll tell you everything,” answered the 
boy, quickly ; “ but first you must promise 
to let me go free.” 

“ We’ll see about that afterward,” answered 
Wenzel. ‘‘Don’t be afraid. If it will do 
you any good, I won’t keep you back; 
but first I must know how matters stand. 
You must be willing to take advice, child, 
for you are too young to advise yourself. So 


94 


LITTLE HANS. 


tell me right oflf : what is your father’s 
name ?” 

Hans told frankly all that we have 
learned in the previous pages, and Wenzel 
attentively listened to every word. 


CHAPTER V. 

** I-iord, thou hast been our dwelling-place 
in all generations.^* 

“ QO, then, at sunset you rode to the battle- 
^ field to look for your friend said Wen- 
zel, thoughtfully, after having been made 
thoroughly acquainted with all the facts. 
“So far, so good. And understand me, 
boy : you certainly cannot go back to Ber- 
lin alone in these times, for the French are 
fighting everywhere in this neighborhood, 
and some harm would be sure to happen 
to you. You understand?” 

“To be sure I understand,” answered Hans, 
whose former high spirits had been quite 
dampened by the loss of his friend, and 
still more by the sight of the bloody bat- 
tle-field, which had pressed heavily on his 

95 


96 


LITTLE HANS. 


young heart. *‘But what shall I do? I 
won’t stay here, and I cannot go to Berlin. 
What can be done ? Oh, if only Paul were 
here!” 

You needn’t hope for Paul to come 
back,” replied Wenzel, coldly ; “ he has 
certainly fallen in battle. The best plan for 
you is to stay here until the war is over, or 
at least has been carried to some other part 
of the country — it can’t last long — and then 
the road to your aunt will be clear.” 

“But I can’t be contented here,” said 
Hans, with bursting tears. “ Ah, dear man I 
do take me to Berlin. You surely know all 
the roads and paths in this country, and it 
will be very easy for you to take me so that 
the Frenchmen won’t notice us. So do, 
and I will richly reward you for your 
trouble.” 

“ Pooh !” said Wenzel ; “ who knows 
whether you have told me the truth in all 
this, or have made up a pack of lies ? You 
will richly reward me ? Where is all that 


LITTLE HANS. 


97 


gold you were talking about ? Show it to 
me, and then we can talk business/’ 

“ The gold !” cried Hans ; “ it is in the 
pocket of the saddle. Just look there, and 
you will find it.” 

“ Look yourself,” answered Wenzel, bring- 
ing the saddle out of the bedroom. ‘‘ There 
it is : I haven’t disturbed it ; and if you are 
telling the truth, the gold must be in it. 
We shall see.” 

Hans plunged his hand into the pocket 
of the saddle, and then drew it out with a 
dismayed look. 

‘‘ The gold is gone !” he said, with horror. 

“ So I thought,” cried Wenzel, mockingly. 
“Most likely it never was there, and you 
have been making a fool of me. Now I see 
that you are a vagabond who has run away 
from his parents — a good-for-nothing boy 
who needs to feel the weight of the stick. 
Just you wait, and I’ll drive the lies out of 
you. You stay here with me till I find out 
the truth about you, and woe be to you if 

7 


98 


LITTLE HANS. 


you try to run away from me ! I don’t 
believe a single word of all that you have 
said.” 

Hans wept, entreated and asserted with 
sobs and wringing of hands that he had 
told nothing but the truth ; but Wenzel, 
who pretended not to believe the boy, paid 
no more attention to him, but commanded him 
in a rough voice to hold his tongue and pack 
himself up to the loft again. As Hans re- 
belled against this, and, driven to despera- 
tion, asked for his horse, insisting that 
Wenzel had stolen him, the angry man 
seized him, gave him a blow with his fist 
and handled him so severely that Sabina, 
the wife, at last hastened into the room and 
rescued the sobbing boy from the hands of 
her brutal husband. 

“ Let him alone,” she cried, angrily; “you 
shall not maltreat the poor child. If he 
must stay here, I shall at least protect him 
from your rage. — Go, go, boy ! Hun up to 
the loft; he won’t follow you there.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


99 


Pale and trembling, sobbing with pain 
and indignation, Hans fled from the room, 
and hurried, still weeping bitterly, to the 
place where he had spent the night. He 
listened in terror to the loud voices of the. 
man and woman, whose words indistinctly 
reached him ; and now, for the first time, 
the thought came to him that he had acted 
not only foolishly, but also wickedly, in 
departing secretly and against his father’s 
will from his aunt’s home and from Berlin. 
Now, as he perceived the evil consequences 
of his foolishness and disobedience, as he 
began to trace the course of his thought- 
less conduct, his eyes were opened to his 
fault, and he no longer mocked at the 
reproaches of the good old sergeant, of the 
schoolmaster and of the minister. The 
thought came to him that his present sad 
and helpless condition was sent to him by 
God in punishment, which he well knew he 
deserved, and this consciousness made him 
as humble and penitent as formerly he had 


100 


LITTLE HANS. 


been saucy and high-spirited. The harsh, 
unfeeling and coarse manners of the tyrant 
in whose power he now found himself had 
entirely subdued him, and he felt so utterly 
hopeless and miserable that it seemed to him 
as if he would gladly lie down among the 
dead upon the battle-field. It would be 
better, he thought, to fall into the hands of 
the wolves who robbed the corpses than into 
the hands of this man, who had not only beat 
him and robbed him of his possessions, but also 
deprived him of his freedom. What would 
become of him if he must remain in the 
power of this man ? What sufferings, what 
indignities, what ill-treatment, awaited him ? 
Ah ! how much better to have stayed with 
his aunt, who loved him, who did every- 
thing to please him and protect him from 
every harm ! Ah ! how painfully he now 
felt the loss of all the good things he had 
enjoyed in his aunt’s house without ever 
thinking of them, which he had even taken 
with the basest thanklessness ! How gladly 


LITTLE HANS. 


101 


would he now have gone back to Berlin ! 
How clearly he now saw that his father had 
been entirely right in telling him to wait 
five years before he asked whether he was 
old enough to wear the king^s uniform. He 
reproached himself most bitterly for his 
thoughtless conduct. Yes, yes! he might 
have been so well off! and out of pure sel- 
fishness he had plunged himself into a 
condition the utter hopelessness of which 
crushed his bold and daring spirit. Not a 
spark of hope brightened his prospects. He 
could only give way unresistingly to the con- 
suming anxiety which tortured him. The 
wide separation from every one who loved 
him made his case seem hopeless, and his 
sense of misconduct took away from him 
that last support which ever remains to one 
who has a clear conscience, however unfortu- 
nate he may be — the glance upward to a 
Father in heaven, the trust in God, who 
never forsakes those who put their trust in 
him. 


102 


LITTLE HANS. 


Hans had troubled himself so little about 
his heavenly Father while he lived carelessly 
from one day to another that now, in mis- 
fortune and helplessness, it never occurred 
to him to turn to him in prayer, and to open 
his heart to that Friend above from whom 
alone could help and blessing come to him. 
He gazed fixedly before him, buried in 
gloomy thought, and then again he wrung 
his hands and wept, fol* he had no hope of 
any intervention in his behalf. With his 
father and Paul he had lost all support, and 
he knew not where to turn for succor. So 
he lay on his wretched bed, a prey to the 
bitter consequences of his thoughtless folly, 
and knew neither how to counsel nor how to 
help himself — knew not which way to 
turn. 

Two hours passed away while he was 
wasting his strength in useless lamentation, 
when his idle glance fell upon a leaf of 
paper which lay covered with dust in a heap 
of rubbish in one corner of the loft. At first 


LITTLE HANS. 


103 


he paid no attention to it, but the paper 
lay in a draught of air, which drew here 
and there through the cracks, and its flut- 
tering seemed to invite him to come and 
take possession of it. Again and again the 
paper beckoned, and gradually it attracted 
the boy’s attention. A kind of curiosity 
awoke in his breast. The leaf beckoned 
again, and involuntarily he rose to draw 
it forth from the heap of rubbish. He 
looked at it, and saw that it was printed. 
Although formerly no great friend of read- 
ing, he yet let his eyes glide over the letters, 
stopped, read farther, dried his tears, and 
read again and again. The color came back 
to his cheeks, his heavy look lighted up, and 
finally even a smile played over his sor- 
rowful face. He pressed the insignificant 
paper to his lips and kissed it. Then he 
threw himself down upon his bed of hay 
with his head buried in his hands and lost 
himself in deep thought. Again and again 
he read the page, until he almost knew its 


104 


LITTLE HANS. 


contents by memory. As he read he became 
more and more peaceful ; his sorrow seemed 
to have vanished ; his heart became lighter, 
his courage rose, his tears were dried, his 
moans were hushed, and as if by magic his 
doubting mood had been changed to a calm, 
almost a joyful, confidence. 

And was this miracle wrought by the 
dirty, insignificant paper which the unfortu- 
nate boy had found amid dust and rubbish ? 
How could it be possible ? And yet he held 
the paper so tight, and only lifted his eyes to 
gaze before him in deep thought and then 
fixed them again on the page. And then 
he pressed the paper to his lips again, and 
to his heart ; and he looked upward, timidly 
and despairingly at first, and then so radiant- 
ly, and clasped his hands as if in prayer, but 
not until he had carefully folded the paper 
and hidden it under his uniform, next his 
heart. And then he sank upon his knees 
and his lips moved, and a soft and holy 
peace beamed from his features, and all trace 


LITTLE HANS. 


105 


of sorrow and fear had vanished from his 
face. 

And had the paper — the dirty leaf of 
paper — wrought this change ? Ah, no ! not 
the paper, indeed, but the words which were 
printed upon it and the blessed Spirit of 
God applying those words to his soul. 
Stained and soiled though the pages were, 
they were still legible ; and Hans had read 
them, and they had proved words of comfort 
and blessing to the poor boy, who had 
thought himself entirely lost and forsaken. 
There they stood upon the printed paper, 
which he had again drawn from its hiding- 
place upon his bosom, and now he read again, 
and the words were for ever impressed upon 
his heart: 

“ The mighty God, even the Lord, hath 
spoken, and called the earth from the rising 
of the sun unto the going down thereof. 
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God 
hath shined. 

He shall call to the heavens from above. 


106 


LITTLE HANS. 


and to the earth, that he may judge the 
people. 

“And the heavens shall declare his right- 
eousness, for God is judge himself. Selah. 

“Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay 
thy vows unto the Most High : and call 
upon me in the day of trouble ; I will 
deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 

“ Now consider this, ye that forget God, 
lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none 
to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth 
me ; and to him that ordereth his conver- 
sation aright will I show the salvation of 
God. 

“ Have mercy upon me, O God, according 
to thy loving-kindness : according to the 
multitude of thy tender mercies blot out 
my transgressions. Wash me throughly 
from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from 
my sin. For I acknowledge my trangres- 
sions, and my sin is ever before me. 

“ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and 
renew a right spirit within me. Cast me 


LITTLE HANS. 


107 


not away from thy presence, and take not 
thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me 
the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with 
thy free Spirit.” 

These and other words stood upon the pa- 
per, for it was a leaf out of the Psalms of 
David — a leaf out of the Book of books, 
the Holy Bible. A single leaf — only one, 
and even part of that torn away — and yet 
what depths of hope and strength the lonely 
boy drew from it ! How the few words went 
to his heart ! how they whispered to him of 
hope and courage ! how they strengthened 
the spirit which just before had been as 
weak and wavering as a blade of grass before 
the storm. 

“ ‘ Call upon me in the day of trouble : I 
will deliver thee, and thou shall praise me,’ ” 
he cried aloud ; and he raised his hands and 
eyes to heaven. Dear God, take pity upon 
me and help me out of my trouble. Ah ! 
I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is 
ever before me ; therefore be merciful to me 


108 


LITTLE HANS. 


and cast me not away from thy presence. I 
have behaved foolishly, like a very naughty 
child, but with thy help I will never do it 
again. Hear me, dear Lord ! I am in so 
much trouble, and I am so weak and sinful 
and helpless, I call to thee; oh, save me 
from this wicked man who has got me in 
his power.” 

So he prayed, and in prayer found peace 
and joy. It was wonderful to see how the 
blessedness of hope took possession of the 
boy’s heart and filled it with confidence. 
He had found the staff and stay which he 
needed in his trouble, and he clung fast to 
it. A dirty bit of paper had become a 
precious treasure, and he read it again and 
again as gradually it became clearer to him 
how foolishly and ungratefully he had be- 
haved toward his friends and how he had 
sinned against God, who had been so good to 
him. He saw more and more clearly that 
his present unhappy situation was but a just 
punishment for his conduct, and that he 


LITTLE HANS. 


109 


ought to bear it patiently ; so he armed him- 
self with courage and endurance, and this be- 
came the more easy to him when he looked 
upon his Bible-page where it said, “ Call 
upon me in the day of trouble : I will de- 
liver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” The 
boy had not the least doubt that the promise 
would be fulfilled, and believed that he 
should soon be rescued. 

Many hours passed thus away ; and when 
his tormentor’s rough voice was heard 
through the trap-door ordering him to come 
down, he was not in the least frightened. 
He only put his dear Bible- leaf in safety by 
laying it on his heart and buttoning his coat 
carefully over it, and then went down full of 
courage, although he expected that he should 
receive some new indignity from Wenzel. 
Happily, this anticipation was not realized. 
Wenzel had only called him to eat his din- 
ner, which was set out for him upon a 
wooden plate ; and he concerned himself 
no further about the boy. He sat silent- 


110 


LITTLE HANS. 


ly before the single window, staring gloomily 
at the dark fir trees which overshadowed the 
house. In silence Hans ate the frugal meal 
which Frau Sabina set before him ; and 
when he had finished, he rose to return to 
his prison. The woman held him back as 
he passed her. 

“ I am sorry for you, poor child !” she 
whispered softly in his ear. “ Only have 
patience, and don’t be afraid. As long as I 
live no real danger shall come to you. Wen- 
zel himself does not know what to do with 
you, and perhaps he will let you go again ; 
only you must be obedient and not make 
him angry. He won’t bear contradiction, 
not even from me. Only don’t be anxious.” 

“ I am not anxious any longer, you good 
woman !” answered Hans, looking fearlessly 
over toward Wenzel. “ He is in God’s 
hands, as well as I ; and you may be sure 
that God will take care of me, for I have 
called upon him in trouble and he will 
deliver me, and I shall praise him.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


Ill 


Frau Sabina remarked with astonishment 
the altered manner of the boy. In the 
morning he had been half insolent, half 
cowardly, and now he was quiet and trust- 
ful in God. 

Before she could utter her surprise her 
husband suddenly turned around, crying 
harshly, 

“Say, what are you whispering there? 
You’d better look out for yourself, wife! 
If I catch you conniving with that fellow, 
it will be the worse for you. — Get out, 
boy !” 

“ I am going,” said Hans, quietly. “ You 
needn’t make such a fuss about it, Wenzel. 
As to your good wife, she only spoke a few 
kind words to me ; you don’t need to threat- 
en her.” 

“Are you crazy, youngster?” growled the 
man. “ Do you want to feel the weight of 
my fist again ?” 

“ I know I am only a child and too weak 
to defend myself,” replied Hans as calmly as 


112 


LITTLE HANS. 


before, “ but I trust in God : he’ll take care 
of me.” 

“ Boy, do you dare to defy me ?” shrieked 
Wenzel, rushing upon Hans with clenched 
and upraised fist. ‘‘ One word more, and I 
will knock you down.” 

Hans was not to be daunted. With stead- 
fast eyes he looked calmly upon his tyrant’s 
wrathful countenance, answering gently, 
almost compassionately : 

“Strike me if you think best: God has 
given me strength to bear everything. If 
you even kill me, I shall not be afraid ; but 
you would make yourself very great sorrow, 
for God has said, ‘These things hast thou 
done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest 
that I was altogether such an one as thyself: 
but I will reprove thee, and set them in 
order before thine eyes.’ The Bible says 
so ; so be careful, Wenzel, not to make God 
angry with you.” 

Wenzel turned pale at these words; his 
clenched fist dropped, and he shrank back 


LITTLE HANS. 


113 


in fear from the child, in whose words a 
higher power seemed to speak. He looked 
furtively around, not daring to meet the clear 
eyes of the boy, who stood over against him 
so weak and helpless, and yet so fearless 
and steadfast. 

‘‘ Go,’’ he said at last, in a hollow voice ; 
“ nothing will happen to you if you don’t 
provoke me. Go! go!” 

Hans went. Wenzel looked curiously 
after him, murmured a few unintelligible 
words, and again sat himself down at the 
window. For a long time he remained there, 
plunged in gloomy thought. He could not 
decide what to do with the boy. If it had 
not been for the gold which he so ardently 
coveted, he would gladly have let him go; 
for he began to be afraid of him. But the 
gold had ensnared his soul. 

“I must keep the youngster here — I 
must,” he muttered. “ If I should let him 
go, he would say that I had robbed him. I 

should be thrown into prison, and everything 
8 


114 


LITTLE HANS. 


would come to light. No, he must stay here. 
How often accidents happen in a mine ! If 
he should disappear there, who could lay it 
at my door? Yes, he shall go into the 
dark cavern, and the rest will take care of 
itself. More than one have gone down there 
and never came out again. And then I will 
have the gold, and no voice will ever be 
raised to betray me.” 

Little Hans, up in the loft, had no sus- 
picion of the dreadful plot which was being 
laid against him down below. He was read- 
ing his Bible-1 eaf. There were the comfort- 
ing words : Call upon me in the day of 
trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me.” When God spoke thus to him 
what had he to fear ? 


CHAPTER VI. 


^^The wicked devise deceitful matters.^* 


LTHOUGH Wenzel had decided to 



dress little Hans as a miner’s boy and 
take him down into the depths of the earth 
to work, he hardly dared carry out his plan 
at once. He felt a secret fear that Sergeant 
Paul might eventually come in search of the 
boy. If this should happen, and it should 
become known that he had used the little 
fellow too ill, he would not only lose the 
hoped-for reward, but might also be called 
upon to restore the purloined gold, which he 
now pretended to have lost. On the other 
hand, by keeping the boy simply a prisoner, 
if Paul should come back he could explain 
the restraint he had put upon the child by 
saying that the boy was determined to run 


115 


116 


LITTLE HANS. 


away, and that he had used force only to pre- 
serve him from the dangers of the unset- 
tled times. This explanation would very 
probably be satisfactory, and Wenzel could 
thus make the most of the fact that he had 
sheltered the child in his hut, and after such 
services as these surely none would ask after 
the gold. Even if they did, in such a case 
they would certainly believe Wenzeks asser- 
tion that he had seen nothing of it, and that 
the boy must have lost it. Hans therefore 
had a short reprieve, and remained quietly 
in his loft, which he only quitted to take 
his meals in Wenzel’s presence. 

Unfortunately, his reprieve soon came to 
an end. The battle of Jena was fought, 
and the Prussian army was disastrously 
defeated. The deep thunder of the cannon 
penetrated into the remotest valleys of the 
region, and reached even to Wenzel’s hut, 
arousing his curiosity. He hastened to the 
scene of the conflict, and returned the next 
day with the news that the Prussian troops 


LITTLE HANS. 


117 


had been entirely cut to pieces and demoral- 
ized. With a sneering laugh he imparted 
this information to Hans, who, notwithstand- 
ing his newly-acquired hopefulness, was by it 
plunged into the deepest despair. 

“And my father he asked. “ Don’t 
you know what has become of my father, 
Wenzel ?” 

“ Who asks after one man in such con- 
fusion ?” asked Wenzel. “ If your father 
was in the battle, he is either dead or a 
prisoner or running away : you know enough 
to understand that ; if he wasn’t there, he is 
following up the defeated troops to rally 
them; and, in any case, it will be long 
enough before you hear a word from him. 
You may be very thankful, youngster, that 
you were brought ^to my hut. Here, at 
least, you have food and shelter, while out 
there you would have been killed long ago. 
But understand me: from this time you’ve 
got to earn your own bread. I am a poor 
man, and can’t afford to have any drones in 


118 


LITTLE HANS. 


my hive. To-morrow you go with me to 
work in the mine.” 

“ If you force me, Wenzel, of course 1 
must obey,” replied Hans, firmly, although 
his heart beat hard and he inwardly trem- 
bled at the wicked man’s decision. “But 
just consider a minute whether it wouldn’t 
be better to let me go free. I would go back 
to Berlin to my aunt, and that couldn’t do 
you any harm. You may be sure that I 
will take care that your hospitality shall be 
paid for, and we will say nothing about the 
purse in my saddle-pocket, although you 
know best how it got lost. Just think about 
it, Wenzel.” 

“ Yes, if one could only depend upon 
your fine words,” answered Wenzel, suspi- 
ciously. “ Once out of my sight, you’ll for- 
get all your grand promises, and will probably 
tell everybody that I stole your money and 
treated you badly. Haven’t you just said 
that I knew about your gold? Do you 
pretend to think that I stole it?” 


LITTLE HANS. 


119 


“ Yes, Wenzel,^’ replied Hans, stoutly ; 
“ I not only think it, but I feel sure of it. 
I have thought it all over, and I remember 
perfectly that the purse was in the pocket 
of the saddle when you pulled me off the 
horse in the woods ; and you had the saddle 
in your room and took the gold out. You 
can’t deny it, Wenzel; but you don’t need 
to deny it, for I tell you you are welcome to 
the gold, and to a lot more, if you will let 
me free to go to my aunt.” 

‘‘ Nonsense, stupid !” cried Wenzel, rough- 
ly. I don’t know anything about your gold ; 
and if you say another word about it, you’ll 
be the worse for it. And you sha’n’t go to 
your aunt, either ; here you shall stay and 
work for your br6ad. And now not another 
word : the matter is decided. March off to 
bed, and to-morrow morning you go to the 
mine. No answer ! You’ll find that I am 
the stronger.” 

Hans went away in silence ; he was wise 
enough to control himself and not make his 


120 


LITTLE HANS. 


situation worse by resistance. It seemed to 
him very pitiful that he should be the slave 
of so frightfully harsh and severe a man ; 
still, he did not lose his courage, but trusted 
in the Lord, who had said, “ I will deliver 
thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’’ These 
words contained a wonderful fullness of 
comfort for the poor boy who was the help- 
less prey of a worthless scoundrel. He felt 
himself under the protection of God, and 
from this thought drew courage to bear all 
the consequences of his hasty and incon- 
siderate flight, and of all his wrong-doing. 
Nor did he give up the hope of rescue, 
which he believed would come as soon as he 
had suffered enough to cure him of his faults. 
He had, too, the comfort of knowing that one 
heart near him felt the deepest sympathy 
with him — the heart of the good Sabina. 
He knew that she would do everything 
possible to make his hard lot easier to bear, 
and this knowledge gave him further cour- 
age. 


LITTLE HANS. 


121 


Sabina was indeed his true friend. Hans 
had hardly left the room when she pressed 
her husband to give the boy his liberty, 
saying that he would surely not misuse it to 
betray his preserver. But, unfortunately, her 
influence was too weak to cause any change 
in her husband’s decision. 

“ You don’t understand anything about 
it,” he said. Do hold your tongue, or it 
will be as bad for you as for the boy. I 
know too much to lose sight of the young- 
ster. Didn’t you hear how he told me to 
my face that I had stolen the gold ? He 
wouldn’t more than get home before he 
would tell the whole story and ruin me. 
Not another word ! the thing is decided.” 

And so it was indeed. Wenzel, who was 
suspicious, like all bad men, did not dare to 
trust the poor boy’s promises; anxiety for 
his own safety was stronger than the feeble 
voice of his hardened conscience. He si- 
lenced its reproaches by main force. What 
mattered to him the fate of the child, so 


122 


LITTLE HANS. 


long as he could safely keep the gold — the 
gold that he coveted, yet that was a burden 
to him? In his wicked heart he plotted the 
child’s destruction, for well he knew that it 
would be easy for him so to accomplish it 
that discovery would be almost impossible. 

Early the next morning he called Hans, 
and, having made him put on a miserable 
smock-frock, bade him follow him to the 
mine. Hans obeyed without a word, for he 
knew that remonstrance would only lead to 
harsher treatment. Down into the depths 
of the earth they went, through the dark 
shaft and along galleries and passages where 
the cheerful light of day had never pen- 
etrated, where only the dull glimmer of 
the miner’s lamp sent its feeble rays into 
the thick darkness. 

Hans, too, had received a miner’s lamp ; 
its light was reflected weirdly from the damp 
walls of the narrow passage where his work 
lay. A nameless foreboding filled his soul, it 
was so still and sombre in the depths of the 


LITTLE HANS. 


123 


earth ! The damp, heavy air oppressed his 
breast and hindered his breathing; the men 
glided like ghosts through the arched, vaiili- 
like passages or hewed silently at tl e flinty 
rock, trying with utmost strength to break 
off portions by means of chisel and drill. 
A gruff “ Good-day !” to one an )tlier in 
passing were the only words spoken. 

At first Hans could distinguish nothing, 
but the click of hammer and pickaxe, the 
hollow murmur of subterranean waters and 
the creaking and groaning of the machinery 
by which they were pumped up from the 
depths of the mine — everything that he saw 
and heard — made a gloomy impression upon 
him and awoke in him a mysterious forebod- 
ing. It seemed to him as if he were wander- 
ing in a huge grave, to which he had been 
condemned by some unknown power, never 
again to see the cheerful light of day, the blue 
sky or the bright, golden stars. But he did not 
give way to this feeling; he tried to conquer 
it, and when he thought of his Bible-leaf 


124 


LITTLE HANS. 


he succeeded. Was not God as near to him 
here, deep under the surface of the ground, 
as above it? Why, then, should he be 
afraid ? 

Hans thought upon the Lord, who had 
sent his Son into the world to save sinners 
who rest on him, and his trust in him helped 
him to conquer the fear which had so nearly 
overcome him. With a firm step, lifting a 
prayer to his Father in heaven, he followed 
Wenzel, who stopped at last in one of the 
most distant parts of the mine, hung his 
miner’s lamp upon a projecting rock, and, 
crouching down on a one-legged wooden 
stool, began to work in silence. Hans stood 
quietly near, not knowing what to do next, 
since Wenzel had given him no orders. 

After a time, during which Wenzel had 
broken off many great blocks of stone from 
the rocky wall, he turned to the boy and 
said, 

“ Here ! take this hammer and break the 
ore up into small bits. Bestir yourself, too. 


LITTLE HANS. 


125 


for I did not bring you here to idle away 
your time.’’ 

Hans knelt obediently beside a great 
block of ore, and tried his feeble strength 
upon it. After great exertion he at last 
succeeded in breaking the stony mass into 
small pieces with his hammer. Fearfully 
tired and covered with sweat, the boy stopped 
working, in the hope that now his day’s task 
was done ; but Wenzel pushed another block 
toward him, and Hans had to take up his 
hammer again, and again beat upon the ore 
until his arms were lame and he had hardly 
strength enough to lift the hammer. A 
great heap of bits of ore lay around him. 

“ Go on,” said Wenzel as he paused in 
his work. 

“ I can’t do any more — I really can’t,” he 
answered. “ It is impossible.” 

What ! are you tired already from that 
little bit of work?” asked Wenzel, scorn- 
fully. ‘‘I see! your delicate hands aren’t 
used to such work. However, it is noon, 


126 


LTTTLE HANS. 


and you may rest a while ; and after dinner 
you may help Ulrich carry the ore out of 
the mine. There ! eat.” He tossed a piece 
of bread and cheese to the boy, and paused 
in his own work to take his noonday meal. 
After this he stretched himself out in a 
corner and slept for a full hour, which Hans 
passed in quiet meditation. The occupation 
to which he had been forced seemed to him 
very hard and disagreeable, yet he did not 
despair nor lose his patience. 

God will surely help me and save me 
from the power of this bad man when his 
time is come,” he thought. ‘‘Till then I 
suppose I must bear patiently whatever 
trouble he sends upon me.” He thought 
with longing of his dear father and the true 
and faithful Paul, and of the free and happy 
life which he had perhaps lost for a long, 
long time. He did not forget that he had 
lost it through his own fault, and he saw that 
he had himself to blame; therefore he did 
not repine. Softly he drew his Bible-leaf 


LITTLE HANS. 


127 


from its hiding-place in his bosom. He read 
the comforting words it contained, and again 
he felt full of joyful courage. He even felt 
rested again when he thought that he was in 
the hands of God, who surely would never 
forsake him. 

Wenzel roused him at last from his medi- 
tations by commanding him to call Ulrich, 
whom he would find in the neighborhood of 
a spot which he pointed out. He was only to 
call the name, and then come back with Ul- 
rich. 

Hans went. He called, and received an 
answer; and, immediately after, a young 
lad emerged from the darkness and stood 
gazing at Hans in astonishment. 

“ Who are you ?” he asked. How did you 
come here ? I have never seen you before.’’ 

“ Wenzel told me to call you. I live 
with him,” said Hans, good-naturedly; for 
the boy, who seemed to be about his own 
age, pleased him. 

“So you are with Wenzel?” said Ulrich, 


128 


LITTLE HANS. 


compassionately. You won’t have a very 
good time wdth him. Wenzel is the worst 
of all the miners, and every one keeps out 
of his way. What does he want with 
me ?” 

“To carry the ore out of the mine — at 
least, so he said just now.” 

“ So I’m to help you ?” said Ulrich. 
“ Now, that’s real lucky. But come ! don’t 
let’s keep Wenzel waiting so long. He can- 
not bear that; he scolds and knocks around 
like a crazy man. While we are at work 
you can tell me more about yourself. I 
don’t know why, but it doesn’t seem to me 
as if you belong here ; you are not from this 
neighborhood, I know, for you don’t talk a 
bit like the boys around here. I want to 
hear what it all means.” 

With hasty steps the boys hurried back to 
the place where Wenzel was awaiting them. 

“ Bring the hound, Ulrich,” he said. 
“ Carry out the ore and take it to the fur- 
nace. Make haste, and don’t be lazy. — But 


LITTLE HANS. 


129 


you hark to me, Hans : don’t you dare to 
say a word to that fellow there, or you’ll be 
sorry for it. You know I’m not joking 
when I say so. — And you, Ulrich, look out 
for the youngster a little. He is an orphan, 
just like you, and we have taken him into 
our hut out of pity. And don’t you believe 
a word he says, for he is a bad boy and lies 
like the mischief. Now go ! You have 
your orders.” 

Ulrich did not stop to answer. 

“ Keep quiet,” he said to Hans ; “ hold 
your tongue a little while. I’ve got some- 
thing to do first in the Jeremiah gallery. 
Come on !” 

A knowing wink toward Wenzel explained 
Ulrich’s arbitrary command, and Hans, who 
understood what the sign meant, was not 
slow to obey. He went nimbly to work, 
threw the fragments of ore into the low 
hand-cart which went by the name of the 
hound ” in the mine, and when it was full 
he rolled it, with Ulrich’s help, through 


130 


LITTLE HANS. 


various passages, to a place where the ore 
was drawn up, with ropes and baskets, 
through a broad shaft to the upper earth. 
Silently they emptied the contents of the 
“ hound ’’ into the basket, which at a given 
signal was immediately swung aloft, and the 
boys hastened back to where Wenzel was 
working. 

Hans tried to speak a few words as they 
went along, but Ulrich looked significantly 
at him, shook his head and quickened his 
pace along the gallery. His precaution was 
not superfluous. In the half darkness which 
reigned in the subterranean passages Hans 
perceived a shadow gliding swiftly along 
before them : it was Wenzel, who, without 
doubt, had secretly followed the boys to 
watch them and hear their conversation. 
Ulrich, who had known him a long time, 
suspected something of the kind, and he 
therefore observed the greatest caution. 
Full ten or twelve times the boys dragged 
the “ hound ” back and forth in silence, and 


LITTLE HANS. 


131 


every time Hans saw the shadow gliding 
through the gallery like an evil spirit, to 
vanish in the neighborhood of WenzePs 
work. 

At the last load which they carried Ulrich 
held back a moment and whispered, 

‘‘ This evening. Expect me. I must 
learn who you are and how you came 
here. Perhaps I can help you. You sleep 
up in the loft, don’t you?” 

“ Yes,” replied Hans ; ‘‘ but how will you 
get there ?” 

That’s my lookout,” replied Ulrich. 
‘‘Don’t take any notice; keep quiet and 
come on. Wenzel is sly, and we must be 
pretty shrewd to get around him.” 

They went on in silence till their task of 
carrying out the ore was done. Wenzel 
then dismissed Ulrich, and Hans had to go 
to work again breaking the hard stones 
until evening. It was very tedious work 
to him, so unaccustomed to labor. 

At last Wenzel threw down his hammer 


132 


LITTLE HANS. 


and chisel, and with a silent glance signified 
to Hans that he too might leave off work. 

“ Enough he said ; “ you have earned 
your bread to-day. Come home now.” 

Hans was not sorry to obey this command ; 
he followed close upon Wenzel’s footsteps. 
When they got out of the mine into the 
open air, it was already dark. On arriv- 
ing at the hut he quickly ate the meagre 
supper which Frau Sabina set before him, 
and then slipped quietly up to the loft, 
where he threw himself upon his bed of 
hay to wait for Ulrich’s promised visit. 


CHAPTEE VII. 

** A true friend is a strong refuge.” 

rpHE hours passed slowly away. The 
striking of the Black Forest clock 
which hung in Wenzel’s room sounded from 
below, and Hans, his ear pressed close to the 
floor, heard every stroke. He counted eight, 
nine, ten. A rustling warned him that Wen- 
zel was going to bed. It struck eleven. All 
was quiet, in doors and out, and still Hans 
lay awake, waiting for the coming of his 
little friend. 

Half-past eleven,” he murmured as the 
clock below struck the half hour. “ He cer- 
tainly won’t come now ; perhaps he has for- 
gotten me already.” He knelt down beside 
his hard bed and lifted up his thoughts to 
God, as he had done every evening since he 
had found the Bible-leaf He then stretched 


133 


134 


LITTLE HANS. 


himself on the hay, and was in the act of 
falling asleep, when suddenly he heard a 
slight rustling. He started up and strained 
his ears to listen. The rustling continued ; 
it seemed to be over his head. Then all 
was quiet, but soon after a stifled voice 
sounded from the skylight. 

“ Hans ! Hans was softly whispered. 

Hans sprang up with delight, and was at 
the skylight the next moment. 

‘‘ Is that you, Ulrich ?” he whispered, 
cautiously. “ Oh how glad I am ! I was 
afraid you were not coming.” 

“ Yes, it has seemed a good while,” an- 
swered Ulrich. “ I did not dare to climb up 
here any earlier, for the light was burning 
in WenzeFs room till nearly eleven. Now 
tell me quickly all I want to know. Don’t 
be afraid ; I won’t betray you, for I like you, 
and it is easy to see by your white hands 
that you are not a poor man’s child. I am 
sure there is some dirty trick of Wenzel’s 
behind all this.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


135 


Hans made no delay, but, in spite of all 
WenzeFs threats, related the whole story of 
his adventures. 

Ulrich listened attentively, barely inter- 
rupting the narration by a sound of surprise 
or horror. 

‘‘There! you see!’’ he said at last. “I 
knew it was something like that. Wenzel 
has stolen your money, and now he is afraid 
that you will betray him. That’s the reason 
why he keeps you caged up so that you can’t 
get away ; that’s why he forbids you to talk 
to me ; but he’ll find all his precautions use- 
less. Only have patience ; I’m your friend, 
and I’ll keep a sharp lookout. But how to 
help you ? That’s what we must be cautious 
about ; for if we fail, Wenzel will hide you 
in some other place. I know his wickedness, 
and all the miners know him, and for years 
none of the decent ones have gone with him. 
We must try to get around him, and, with 
God’s help, we shall do it. You must run 
away, Hans, and I shall go with you. But 


136 


LITTLE HANS. 


we must be cautious — very cautious; for 
Wenzel’s lynx-eyes will always be upon us, 
and all the more surely because he is afraid 
of us. Didn’t you notice how he followed 
us slyly when we were dragging the hound ? 
Yes, yes, he is sly ; but, in spite of every- 
thing, with God’s help, we shall get the 
better of his slyness. But hark ! what is 
that ? Hush ! I really believe he is com- 
ing. Keep still, Hans, and don’t move.” 

In very deed, the house door creaked upon 
its hinges, and they heard Wenzel’s step. A 
few moments of breathless waiting passed. 
Hans trembled like an aspen-leaf in anxi- 
ety for his friend ; if Wenzel discovered him, 
they were both lost. Fortunately, the night 
was dark ; even the feeble light of the moon 
was obscured by dark clouds, which covered 
the heavens. 

“ Who is there ?” cried Wenzel, suddenly, 
in a loud voice. '‘Answer at once, or I will 
shoot !”^ 

No reply. Ulrich pressed his body close 


LITTLE HANS. 


137 


to the weatherbeaten thatch. Hans took 
good care not to make a sound. 

“ Curse it !” muttered Wenzel ; ‘‘ it is too 
dark : I can’t see my hand before my face. 
But I would take my oath that I heard a 
rustling somewhere, and voices too.” He 
searched the whole barn-yard, but naturally 
found there nothing which could confirm 
his suspicions. Muttering a few more 
curses, he went back into the hut and 
fastened the door behind him. 

« Hurry back to bed,” whispered Ulrich 
to his friend ; “ he’ll come and look after 
you. Pretend to be asleep, and I’ll hide for 
a little while.” 

‘‘ But how and where ?” asked Hans, anx- 
iously, forgetting his own danger in that of 
his friend. 

Oh, I shall slide down the roof the way 
I came,” answered Ulrich, hastily ; I’ll 
climb down the fir tree just like a ladder, 
and hide myself somewhere, and then come 
back when all is still again. Make haste ! 


138 


LITTLE HANS. 


Lie down ; there is not a moment to lose/' 
He slid down as lightly as a cat. 

Hans threw himself on his bed of hay 
and listened to the soft rustling on the 
thatched roof ; there was a call from be- 
low in the house : “ Hans, Hans !’’ but he 
kept still as a mouse and made no answer. 

The ladder which led to the trap-door 
creaked, and Wenzel appeared in the loft. 
He had lighted a lantern, and threw its rays 
on the face of the apparently sleeping boy. 
His eyes did not shrink nor his eyelashes 
quiver, though in his breast his heart was 
thumping like a hammer. It was hardly a 
minute that Wenzel was thus looking at the 
boy, but this minute seemed to him like an 
eternity. 

He’s asleep,” murmured Wenzel at last. 
“ And yet — But no ; he is surely asleep.” 
He slowly turned away from the boy and 
went toward the trap-door, but turned back 
once more and looked sharply upon Hans’s 
face. The boy bore the second trial as firm- 


LITTLE HANS. 


139 


ly as he had borne the first. At last the 
suspicious fellow took himself off, and Hans 
drew a long breath, as if relieved of a heavy 
burden. But he dared not move : Wenzel 
might return again. Happily, he did not 
come. His heavy steps resounded through 
the rooms below. He opened the outer door 
once more, went out to the barn -yard and 
peered here and there with his lantern*. 

Hans silently thanked God that Ulrich 
had made good his escape. With quickened 
ear he listened to every sound. He heard 
Wenzel muttering curses to himself — heard 
him leave the barn-yard, return to the house 
and go into his room. At last all was quiet. 
Wenzel had surely seen nothing suspicious, 
or without doubt he would have come up 
into the loft again. Hans thanked the 
Lord, who had smitten the eyes of this 
wicked man with blindness. 

After the lapse of nearly an hour, during 
which everything had remained quiet, there 
was again a rustling in the straw over the 


140 


LITTLE HANS, 


head of the listening Hans, and, soon after, 
Ulrich’s voice was heard a second time at 
the skylight. 

“ Hans !” he whispered ; “ Hans ! Are 
you awake V* 

Hans sprang up quickly and crept softly 
to the skylight. 

‘‘ Oh, Ulrich,” he said, “ what if Wenzel 
should come again ?” 

‘‘He won’t come,” replied Ulrich, confi- 
dently. “Before I climbed upon the roof 
again I listened at his bedroom window, 
and heard him snoring like anything. We 
are safe now, and we must make the most of 
our time to decide how we may best get 
away. For we will have to run away : that 
is plain.” 

“But you’ve seen how watchful Wenzel 
is,” replied Hans. “ It seems to me impossi- 
ble to escape him; and if he should catch 
us, we must be prepared for the worst. I 
believe he would strike us dead in a mo- 
ment.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


141 


‘‘Then we must not let him catch us,” 
replied Ulrich ; “ and he shall not do it, 
either. Have courage, Hans; we’ll try it 
the third night from this. That’ll be Satur- 
day, and Wenzel always goes to the ale- 
house and drinks so much that he sleeps 
like the dead. We can do it then. We 
will get your pony’s saddle and bridle, break 
a hole in the stable wall where your pony 
is, and then hurra and away !” 

“ But you don’t know : the saddle and 
bridle are hanging over the head of Wen- 
zel’s bed,” replied Hans. “ One of us would 
have to go into his room to get them, and 
I would rather go into a lion’s den than into 
Wenzel’s bedroom on such an errand.” 

“ Pooh ! don’t be afraid, Hans,” said Ul- 
rich. “ I tell you he’ll be drunk, and you 
could pull his ears and he would never 
know it. Besides, I’ll go in and bring 
them out; I ain’t afraid.” 

“ But Frau Sabina,” said Hans : “ what 
if she should wake up ? She sleeps in the 


142 


LITTLE HANS. 


same room ; wouldn’t she betray us ? Wouldn’t 
she arouse her husband ?” 

‘‘ I don’t think so,” returned Ulrich ; she’s 
a real good woman, and loathes her husband’s 
evil-doings from the bottom of her heart. No, 
no ! we have nothing to fear from her ; and 
I believe she would rather help than hinder 
us. You say she has been real good to 
you ?” 

“ Yes, that she has, and I will never for- 
get it,” said Hans. “ If ever I get home safe, 
I will surely remember her and do something 
for her. No ; she won’t betray us. But 
what next, Ulrich? How can you break 
into the stable to get my pony out?” 

“Am I not a miner’s boy ?” said Ulrich. 
“ That’s a small affair : the wall is made of 
clay, and a couple of blows with a pickaxe 
will answer our purpose.” 

“And what then? How shall we get 
away ? Even if everything succeeds, I 
don’t know a foot of the country, and we 
shall get lost in the night. And when 


LITTLE HANS. 


143 


Wenzel misses us in the morning, of course 
he’ll come after us. Then woe be to us 
if he gets on our track and catches up 
with us !” 

“ Just let me look out for that,” replied 
Ulrich, confidently. “ I know every foot 
of the country for two leagues around, and 
before Wenzel has slept off his drunkenness 
on Sunday we’ll be over the hills and far 
away. Don’t worry so, Hans; you cer- 
tainly cannot, and must not, stay .here in 
Wenzel’s power ; so take courage. It can’t 
be worse for you, in any case, than it is 
now.” 

That is true,” said Hans ; “ and so now 
we’ll fix upon this. We’ll take flight on 
Saturday night.” 

‘‘Agreed !” said Ulrich. “ But now be 
careful that not a word, not a glance, arouses 
Wenzel’s suspicions. Down in the mine we 
must act as if we were entire strangers ; for 
as soon as Wenzel notices any understanding 
between us, that moment he will part us and 


144 


LITTLE HANS. 


redouble his watchfulness. So be as cautious 
and as still as the grave : that’s the princi- 
pal thing. So good-night, and pleasant 
dreams. The time is passing. The hens 
are cackling down in the village, and in 
the morning we must go to work, and shall 
need all our strength. Good-night, Hans, 
and don’t forget : ‘ Watchfulness ’ and ‘ Cau- 
tion ’ are our watchwords.” 

“Wait just a minute, Ulrich,” said Hans. 
“ What do you think ? Shall we tell Frau 
Sabina what we mean to do ? Perhaps she 
could help us; and, at any rate, when I 
think how good she has been to me, I don’t 
believe she will betray us.” 

Ulrich reflected a moment, but after short 
consideration he concluded that it would be 
better if Frau Sabina should be allowed to 
remain in ignorance : 

“ To be sure, she might help us ; but for 
her own sake it may be better to leave her 
out. She might be anxious, and that would 
make Wenzel suspicious and get her too into 


LITTLE HANS. 


145 


trouble. No ; we must keep our own secret, 
Hans. And now good-night.” 

The boys shook hands warmly, and Ulrich 
slid away. 

Hans remained listening at the skylight 
till he was convinced that Ulrich was safe ; 
then he lay down again on the hay, and 
very soon the fatigue and exhaustion from 
his unaccustomed work closed his eyes in 
sleep. He slumbered sweetly till Wenzel’s 
loud call aroused him. Although deathly 
tired, he knew that he must obey the call ; 
and he hastened down stairs. 

Wenzel received him with a penetrating 
glance which pierced the boy’s heart like 
a dagger ; but he controlled his embarrass- 
ment with the thought of his friend, and 
ate his breakfast with a calm countenance. 
Wenzel continued to watch him with sus- 
picious eyes. Suddenly he asked, 

‘‘Who was with you last night, boy? 
Tell me this moment.” 

Hans felt his heart stand still in his bo- 


10 


146 


LITTLE HANS. 


som, for he saw that a single indiscreet or 
thoughtless word would be his destruction ; 
but all the same he answered quickly: 

“ Who was with me ? God ! He is al- 
ways with me/’ 

The sacred name, so unexpectedly uttered, 
seemed to be more than Wenzel could bear. 
He shrank back without another word, and, 
beckoning the boy to follow him, turned to 
go to his work. He was evidently plunged 
in dark thoughts, for he answered not a 
single word to the “ Luck to you !” with 
which, according to the custom of the coun- 
try, the miners all greeted him as they passed. 
He went silently down the shaft, and began 
his work in silence, as on the preceding day; 
and Hans was obliged, the same as yesterday, 
to break the masses of ore into small pieces. 
To-day it was not so disagreeable to him, for 
he could busy himself undisturbed with his 
thoughts, which, of course, were principally 
about his new friend, Ulrich, and their pro- 
posed flight. 


LITTLE HANS. 


147 


Suddenly, Wenzel turned to him and said 
hastily, 

“Call Ulrich r’ 

Although Hans was rejoiced at this com- 
mand, he was careful not to betray his 
pleasure, for he noticed that WenzePs eyes 
were bent fiercely upon him. With apparent 
indifference, he rose up, called Ulrich’s name, 
and then turned back to his work without 
waiting to meet him. 

Ulrich came, but he too was on his guard, 
and, although Wenzel observed every glance, 
every motion, of the two boys with the 
sharpest suspicion, he could not detect the 
slightest sign of any understanding between 
them. Satisfied at last with his observations, 
he turned away from the boys and went on 
with his work, murmuring, 

“ It was nothing ; I must have been mis- 
taken last night, or else it was a cat or an 
owl creeping over the roof.” 

The boys saw that they had happily 
succeeded in quieting his suspicions, and 


148 


LITTLE HANS. 


they found it all the more easy to preserve 
a careless, indifferent manner. 

Three days passed away — the three days 
which lay between the boys’ midnight meet- 
ing and their appointed flight — and the 
decisive hour drew near. As they quitted 
their work on the evening of Saturday, 
Hans secretly pressed Ulrich’s hand and 
softly whispered, ‘‘ To-night, the stroke of 
twelve,” and they parted without another 
word. 

Wenzel went straight to the village ale- 
house to squander part of his week’s earn- 
ings in drink. Hans slipped up into the 
loft and impatiently counted the slowly-pass- 
ing minutes. Once the idea occurred to him 
to get the saddle and bridle out of the bed- 
room before Wenzel’s return from the ale- 
house. Thus he might escape the danger 
of making the attempt in Wenzel’s presence, 
which was to be dreaded even though he 
might be asleep and drunk. After a short 
consideration, however, he gave up the idea ; 


LITTLE HANS. 


149 


for Wenzel might possibly notice the empty 
place over his bed, in spite of his drunken- 
ness, and then, of course, everything would 
be over. It would be better for Hans to 
depend on the stupidity of his drunken 
sleep. 

At eleven o’clock Wenzel came home. 
He reeled, sang, talked nonsense, and had 
hardly entered the house when he 'tumbled 
heavily upon the floor. Hans heard the 
heavy fall and Wenzel’s muttered curses. 
He could hardly help being glad to hear 
them, for they proved to him that Wenzel 
must be very drunk indeed. He crept 
lightly down the steps in his bare feet and 
listened at the room door. He heard Frau 
Sabina’s voice reproaching her husband for 
his intoxication, and Wenzel answering her 
with coarse abuse. Frau Sabina made no 
reply and Wenzel staggered into his bed- 
room, and all was still. 

Hans took new courage, and hastened 
back into the loft with a lighter heart. 


150 


LITTLE HANS. 


“ If Ulrich would only come now he 
said to himself. “ Everything looks well, 
and our plot must succeed.’’ 

The lad looked out into the night, listen- 
ing intently for the approaching steps of his 
friend. At length he heard them. A 
branch of the tree which served Ulrich, 
for a ladder cracked audibly under his feet; 
the thatch rustled, and the next moment Ul- 
rich was at the skylight. 

“ Hans !” he whispered. 

‘‘Here, Ulrich!” 

“ How goes it ?” 

“All right.” 

“Are you afraid?” 

“No. Wenzel is asleep; he came home 
very drunk.” 

“I heard him snoring as I came up the 
tree. Now no more hesitation. To work! 
First we must make the skylight larger; 
then, while you get your saddle and bridle. 
I’ll make an opening in the stable wall for 
your pony.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


151 


Ulrich had brought his tools with him, 
and the opening of the roof was soon made 
wide enough to give passage to the slender 
figure of the imprisoned boy. To be sure, 
the dry timbers of the roof cracked, but the 
noise was suppressed as much as possible ; 
and the deep quiet within the hut gave 
them the assurance that at least the dread- 
ed Wenzel was not awake. 

‘‘Come on down, Hans,’’ said Ulrich. 
“ But if you’re afraid, let me go in.” 

“Don’t worry,” replied Hans; “I have 
made up my mind, and sha’n’t delay a 
minute.” 

“Give me your hand for a moment, 
Hansie.” 

Hans gave his hand to his friend ; it did 
not tremble, but it was as cold as ice. 

“ I see you are cool,” said Ulrich. “ Now, 
then, go on in God’s name. We are surely 
doing nothing wrong in escaping from this 
bad man.” 

“ That is true,” replied Hans, pressing his 


152 


LITTLE HANS. 


beloved Bible-leaf to his heart. “ Go on, 
Ulrich, and God will help us.’’ 

‘‘ Go on,” repeated the other ; and the two 
friends parted. 

Ulrich slipped down over the thatch ; 
Hans went on tiptoe to the trap-door. Re- 
solved as the boy was to run all risks, his 
heart thumped in his breast and a slight 
shiver ran through all his limbs as he set 
his bare feet on the first round of the lad- 
der ; but he conquered the fears which in- 
voluntarily seized him and stepped courage- 
ously down. The ladder creaked under his 
feet, and the deep stillness of the night made 
the sound doubly audible. Hans stopped in 
terror and listened ; not a sound was to be 
heard. With redoubled caution he went 
on, and in another moment he stood upon 
the floor. He drew a deep breath, summoned 
up all his courage, and softly drew near the 
room door. The latch was in his hand; a 
slight rattling, and the door stood open. A 
feeble glimmer of light shone through the 


LITTLE HANS. 


15S 


chamber door into the outer room. Either 
Wenzel or his wife had lighted a night-light, 
and this circumstance was both advantageous 
and prejudicial to the boy’s intention — advan- 
tageous, because now he would not be in 
danger of stumbling against a chair or other 
article in the room and arousing Wenzel by 
the noise; prejudicial, because he might be 
discovered at any moment if Wenzel should 
awake from his slumbers. 

‘‘ But I must go on,” said Hans ; ‘‘ and if 
the worst comes to the worst, we’ll run away 
on foot and hide ourselves in the forest.” 

Our hero went on slowly and cautiously, 
with a pause between each step, listening 
with bent head and bated breath. The 
ticking of the clock sounded audibly through 
the room and mingled with Frau Sabina’s 
deep, peaceful breathing and the rattling 
snores of her drunken husband. Hans 
stepped forward more cautiously than ever. 
Wenzel’s sleep was sound and deep. He 
stood at last on the door-sill, bending for- 


154 


LITTLE HANS. 


ward and searching with his eyes every 
corner of the little room through which 
he must pass. Frau Sabina lay quietly 
asleep ; a night-light burned near her on a 
little stand and threw a dim light on her 
pale, still face. On a bed in the other cor- 
ner of the room lay Wenzel half undressed; 
his red and swollen face bore new witness to 
his intoxication. He snored loudly and 
seemed to draw each breath heavily, but 
still he slept soundly — so soundly that 
Hans gained courage, and, drawing a long 
breath, stepped bravely over the door-sill. 

The saddle hung above Wenzel’s head ; 
near it was the bridle. Hans glided toward 
them, and, so placing himself that Wenzel’s 
first glance would not fall upon him even if 
he awoke, he raised his arm to reach the 
bridle. He succeeded. He took down the 
bridle without making any noise, hung it 
over his shoulder and turned toward the 
saddle. It was not easy to get possession of 
this, for it hung pretty high and was heavy. 


LITTLE HANS. 


155 


Three times Hans tried to take it down from 
the nail ; three times he drew back, startled 
by the creaking of the leather or the rattling 
of the stirrups, which lay crosswise upon the 
saddle. But what was the use of hesitation? 
The saddle must be got ; and for the fourth 
time the boy reached up his arm. Again 
the leather creaked, the stirrups rattled ; 
but that was not to be avoided, and Wenzel 
still slept soundly. One more pull, and the 
saddle was down. But it was heavy — 
heavier than Hans had supposed — and had 
nearly fallen out of his hand. He clung to 
it the tighter for fear, and succeeded in keep- 
ing his hold ; but one of the stirrups slipped 
over the smooth leather and struck with a 
loud noise against the head-board of Wen- 
zel’s bed. 

Hans thought he should sink through the 
floor in terror. He stood pale and dumb, 
incapable of motion, a helpless sacriflce to 
the horrible Wenzel. And Wenzel started 


up. 


156 


LITTLE HANS. 


“ Now — now he will see me, and I am 
lost,” thought Hans. 

Wenzel uttered a low growl. His heavy 
eyes opened ; he looked slowly around. 
The dreadful moment had come, when sud- 
denly the night-light was extinguished and 
thick darkness enveloped the little room. 

What’s the matter ?” growled Wenzel. 
‘^Where’s the light?” 

‘‘Are you awake?” asked Frau Sabina. 
“The light troubled me, and I put it out. 
Shall I light it again?” 

“ No — yes — no,” murmured Wenzel, sink- 
ing heavily back upon his pillow. “Only 
go on. I — I — Ah — ” 

Hans stood motionless at the head of the 
bed, not daring to take a single step. Sud- 
denly he felt a hand upon his shoulder ; he 
started in terror, thinking that Wenzel had 
risen up in bed and seized him. He had 
almost screamed aloud, but just in time he 
heard Frau Sabina’s voice whispering to 
him : 


LITTLE HANS. 


157 


I understand what you are trying to do. 
Creep out and fear nothing. I will watch 
for you. Go ! Go !” 

Hans went. With all his care, his foot- 
steps were quite audible; for his anxiety 
and the terror which he had just undergone, 
from which he still trembled in every limb, 
robbed him of his former caution. Besides, 
it was so dark in the hut that he could not 
see his hand before his face, and this helped 
to make his footsteps uncertain. However, 
he finally reached the door in safety ; but 
here, unluckily, one of the stirrups swung 
against the door-post with a loud rattling 
noise. 

‘‘ What’s that ?” cried Wenzel, who was 
not yet sound asleep. “Who is there?” 

“ It is I,” said Frau Sabina. “ I am look- 
ing for the tinder-box, and it’s so dark I can- 
not find it.” 

“ Nonsense !” growled Wenzel ; “ what do 
you want of a tinder-box? Go to bed, or 
I’ll—” 


158 


LITTLE HANS. 


‘‘All right,” interrupted Frau Sabina; “if 
you don’t want a light, I don’t and with 
these words she went back to bed, making 
as much noise as possible, and stumbling 
against chairs and tables, that she might 
thus cover the retreat of Hans. 

Fortunately, the boy understood her pur- 
pose, and he hastened through the outer 
room toward the ladder, holding the treach- 
erous stirrups in his hand. At the foot of 
the ladder he halted, trembling with both 
cold and fright. For nearly a quarter of 
an hour he stood, listening intently to every 
sound which came to his ears through the 
open door. When, at last, he heard Wen- 
zel’s deep snoring, he crept up the steps, 
closed the trap-door, and hastened with a 
light heart to the skylight, where Ulrich 
had been anxiously awaiting his return. 

“ Ulrich !” he whispered. 

“ Thank God you are here !” replied Ul- 
rich. “ I began to be afraid that Wenzel 
had waked up and caught you.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


159 


“ He didn’t lack much of catching me,” 
said Hans. “ Oh how frightened I was ! 
And if Frau Sabina had not been there, 
and if I had not cried to the Lord out of 
the bottom of my heart in the moment of 
the greatest need and danger, you would 
hardly have seen me again. But the Lord 
gave me strength not to scream out, and 
Frau Sabina did the rest.” 

“And the saddle, Hans — have you got the 
saddle and bridle?” 

“ Of course ; here they are. Take them. 
And look out ; the saddle is heavy. Don’t 
let it fall.” 

“ Give it here,” said Ulrich. He took the 
saddle and hastened over the thatch to a 
ladder which he had found in the court, 
and which he had brought through the 
stable and leaned up against the roof. He 
slipped down the ladder as nimbly as a 
cat, carried the saddle into the stable and 
reappeared a minute later. “Come, Han- 
sie !” he said to his friend ; “ everything is 


160 


LITTLE HANS. 


ready. You have only to saddle the pony, 
and away we go. I have broken down the 
whole outer wall of the stable. Won’t 
Wenzel open his eyes when he wakes up 
to-morrow morning and sees by what road 
his caged bird has escaped ? Only be quick ! 
Climb out so. Hold fast to the straw, and 
come close after me.” 

The boys reached the ground safely, and 
hastened to the stable, where the pony greet- 
ed his young master with a neigh of wel- 
come. 

Keep still, Kustan !” cried Hans, softly 
and sharply, holding the horse’s mouth shut. 
‘‘If Wenzel should hear you, if he should 
suspect, if he should come ! Everything 
would be lost at the last moment. — Quick, 
Ulrich ! Give me the bridle. If he once 
has it on, he’ll be quiet.” 

The bridle was hastily put on, and Hans 
was in the very act of buckling the saddle, 
when a new fear paralyzed his arm. The 
stable door rattled; a figure which looked 


LITTLE HANS. 


161 


like a shadow in the darkness of the night 
appeared in the doorway. A hand was 
outstretched, and Hans felt himself seized 
by the arm. 

“ Betrayed !” cried Ulrich. 

“ Lost cried Hans. 

“ Be still !” said a third voice. 

Hans and Ulrich breathed freely. 

“ Frau Sabina cried they, with delight, 
pressing themselves close to the good wo- 
man. 

“Yes, it is I,” said Frau Sabina. — “I 
have not come to hinder your flight, Hans : 
on the contrary, I shall be glad when you 
have escaped from this house ; but, Hans, 
you must promise me one thing, dear boy.” 

“ Everything,” said Hans, with the heart- 
iest gratitude. “ My life for you, Frau 
Sabina.” 

“ Not that — not that,” she answered. 
“Promise me only this one thing: Keep 
quiet about WenzeFs theft. He is bad and 

wicked, but still he is my husband, and it 
11 


162 


LITTLE HANS. 


would be terrible to me if he were put in 
prison. The disgrace would kill me.’’ 

“ Oh, Frau Sabina, how could you think 
that I would make you such sorrow ?” cried 
Hans, with deep feeling. “ No ! Never 
shall I forget how good you have been to 
me. You shall certainly hear from me 
again, but not in such a way as that. No, 
your goodness shall not be forgotten. And, 
as for the gold, I never think anything 
about it.” 

“ Thank you, dear boy — thank you !” 
said Frau Sabina, with a lightened heart. 

Now I do not repent that I have aided 
you to escape. And now fly, and God be 
with you !” 

“ Yes, we must go ; it is high time,” said 
Ulrich. — Mount, Hans, mount ! Every mo- 
ment is precious. — And you, Frau Sabina — 
thank you, and good-bye.” 

Hans took leave of Frau Sabina; the 
tears of the unhappy woman dropped upon 
his hand and her blessing sounded in his 


LITTLE HANS. 


163 


ears. With a heart full of love he embraced 
her for the last time, then tore himself away, 
seized the horse’s bridle and led him out into 
the open air, swung himself into the saddle, 
and away they went, Ulrich holding on to 
the stirrup and acting as guide. 

Frau Sabina listened to the retreating 
footsteps. When all was still, she drew a 
long breath and whispered, 

“ God be with them and protect them — 
and me.” She went back with noiseless 
footsteps into the hut. 

For a few moments no sound either near 
or far betrayed that anything unusual had 
happened. Suddenly a long piercing shriek 
rang fearfully through the midnight still- 
ness. There was a commotion within the 
hut; the house door was hastily torn open, 
and a man staggered out, half dressed, and 
hastened to the stable. 

They’ve escaped !” he shouted. “ The 
horse is gone ! the boy is fled ! Didn’t I 
think it when I heard the pony neigh ? But 


164 


LITTLE HANS. 


he cannot be far off, and woe be to him when 
I find him !” 

The man — it was Wenzel, still half drunk 
— staggered into the hut. A moment later 
he came out again carrying a loaded musket 
and a lighted lantern. He rushed in wild 
haste from the dwelling, went with great 
strides toward the forest and disappeared. 

In the hut Frau Sabina lay motionless 
upon the floor. A blow from her enraged 
husband’s fist had thrown her down and 
robbed her of consciousness. 


CHAPTEE VIII. 


'^Foolishness is bound up in the heart of 
a child.” 

TT had rained hard all day and the skies 
were still covered with dark clouds, 
which not the glimmer of a single star 
could penetrate. The darkness was so thick 
that Hans could not see his horse’s head be- 
fore him, and it was utterly impossible to 
distinguish the path. Ulrich, however, 
knew the country well, and without paying 
much attention to the road he went directly 
toward the forest, which soon took the fugi- 
tives under its protecting shadows. 

The night was darker and more gloomy 
in the forest than out in the open country. 
To the darkness of the clouds was now 
added the heavier darkness of the dense 
foliage, and in a very few moments the boys 

165 


166 


LITTLE HANS. 


had strayed from the well-trodden path and 
were wandering in the wilderness at the 
mercy of circumstances. The horse stepped 
along cheerfully, and, although his feet sank 
deep in the wet ground and he stumbled 
every moment over roots and fallen trees, 
he successfully picked his way, now to 
the right, now to the left. To proceed in 
any given direction was impossible. 

“ This is a bad night,” sighed Ulrich, as 
the faithful horse once more slipped on a 
smooth stump and had nearly fallen to the 
ground — ‘‘a bad, bad night; and I really 
cannot tell whether we have gone far from 
Wenzel’s hut or have just been wandering 
in a circle round it. I wish it were day, or 
at least that the dawn would break.” 

“ Only don’t lose courage,” replied Hans, 
who, now that he had his horse under him, 
felt his old dauntless spirit again aroused. 
“ Let us keep on, Ulrich ; we shall some 
time or other get out of the wood, and, 
once out, we are safe.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


167 


“ I will do my part/’ said Ulrich ; but, 
really, it is impossible to find the road, the 
darkness is so thick. If we only had a lan- 
tern or a torch ! But here not even a cat or 
an owl could find the way.” 

Still, they pressed forward as well as they 
could. But they went slowly, and it seemed 
as if the forest would never come to an end. 
And now the rain again began to fall in tor- 
rents. The mass of thicket was so dense that 
suddenly the pony stood still and could go 
no farther. 

Ulrich anxiously sought for an outlet. 

‘‘Stay here a little while,” he said to 
Hans, “and I will find a path somewhere. 
I imagine I know about where we are : 
these whortleberry- bushes seem familiar ; 
and if I am not extremely mistaken, there 
are the ruins of an old castle just to the 
right of us. I can find my way out from 
there easily enough.” 

Ulrich disappeared into the darkness, 
and Hans stayed quietly beside the pony. 


168 


LITTLE HANS. 


The beast sniffed the air and shook his head 
uneasily. The darkness, the dampness and 
the cold seemed to him no less uncomfort- 
able than to his young master, who was 
chafing his hands and impatiently awaiting 
Ulrich’s return. The rain-drops spattered 
down from the leafy branches above the 
boy and wet him to the very skin. 

In about ten minutes Ulrich returned. 
He too was wet through, and his whole 
body was shaking with cold, but his voice 
was clear and encouraging. 

‘‘All right, Hansie !” he said, cheerfully ; 
“ the ruin is there, and now I know where 
we are. Give me the reins ; I will lead the 
horse.” 

“All right !” answered Hans ; “ here they 
are. And how far are we from Wenzel’s 
hut?” 

“A good half league, and no farther,” 
replied Ulrich ; “ but don’t let’s worry 

about that. We will turn to the left at 
the ruin and come out on the highway. 


LITTLE HANS. 


169 


which cuts straight through the forest. Once 
there, we cannot lose our way again.” 

‘‘Well, go ahead, then,” answered Hans; 
and Ulrich stepped cautiously forward. 

In a few moments they had reached the 
ruin. 

‘‘ Get down now, Hans,” said Ulrich ; 
“ the path leads over all sorts of rocks and 
rubbish. The horse might stumble and 
throw you in this horrible darkness.” 

Hans sprang out of the saddle, and was 
about to follow his friend, when a happy 
idea, as he thought, occurred to him. 

“Listen, Ulrich,” said he: “in such an 
old ruin there must surely be some sort 
of a shed that will shelter us from this 
storm. Don’t you know of any ?” 

“To be sure; we are just close to the 
entrance of a covered hall, where it is warm 
and dry,” replied Ulrich. “ But we have no 
time to wait for the rain to clear away ; we 
must hasten on, out of Wenzel’s neighbor- 
hood.” 


170 


LITTLE HANS. 


“Oh, there is no such hurry,” said 
“Lefs stop just a little while. The night 
is really too dreadful. WenzePs asleep and 
doesn’t think about us. As soon as it grows 
light we will start on again; then he will 
have to run a good while before he over- 
takes us.” 

“ But suppose he has waked up already ?” 
urged Ulrich. “ Suppose he has missed us, 
and is looking for us and has followed us ? 
No, Hans ; let’s go on. We’ll soon get to 
the high-road, and we must endure a little 
rain.” 

“A pretty ‘ little,’ Ulrich,” replied Hans ; 
“ it pours down in perfect streams. Don’t 
be afraid ; let’s find the hall quick.” 

Ulrich begged and warned, but Hans, 
with his old obstinacy, insisted that he 
would not leave the spot until morning. 

“ Wenzel won’t come,” said he. “Even if 
he has waked up — which isn’t likely — how 
can he hunt us up in this darkness? It 
is quite impossible, Ulrich; and if we go 


LITTLE HANS. 


171 


on in the dark, some accident may happen 
to us. The path is bad ; the pony will 
stumble : perhaps he may fall. We’ll get 
lost again, and go around about in a circle 
in this wilderness, and get all tired out, 
perhaps even run right into Wenzel’s 
clutches. No ; let’s stop and wait till 
morning.” 

Ulrich assured him that there was now 
no possibility of losing the way to the high- 
road, but Hans obstinately insisted on hav- 
ing his own way. If Ulrich wanted to go 
farther, he might go alone. 

Well, so be it,” said Ulrich, uneasily ; 
‘‘but I assure you, Hans, I don’t expect any 
good from this, and you will see that we 
shall bitterly repent the delay. I am aw- 
fully frightened, and my heart beats faster 
than when Frau Sabina surprised us in the 
stable.” 

“ Oh, don’t be so silly !” replied Hans. 
“We are quite safe here, and a little rest 
will do you and me and Kustan good. Come 


172 


LITTLE HANS. 


quick under shelter, or the rain will wash us 
away/’ 

Ulrich obeyed with a sigh, and led Hans 
about twenty paces farther, to the entrance 
of the deserted building. They went in, 
and found themselves completely sheltered. 
Hans was quite delighted, while Ulrich 
could not control the anxiety which had 
taken possession of him. He still pressed 
Hans to resume their flight, but he, listening 
to the incessant rain upon the roof, turned a 
deaf ear to his friend’s entreaties and wrapped 
himself in a false security which was to 
bring the most terrible consequences upon 
them both. 

As Wenzel came out into the open space 
around his hut he uttered a wild shout of 
triumph. Upon the rain-soaked earth the 
pony’s tracks could be distinctly seen by the 
light of the lantern, and now his task was 
only to follow them up and he would surely 
overtake the fugitive children. When he 


LITTLE HANS. 


173 


reached the forest, where the overhanging 
trees had kept off much of the rain, the 
traces were more difficult to follow, and he 
was obliged to relax his speed. Holding the 
lantern close to the ground, he strode along, 
his eyes fastened on the hoof-tracks. He 
soon perceived that the boys had wandered 
from the path, but this very circumstance 
gave him hope that he should soon find 
them. In his eagerness he paid no heed to 
the pouring rain; his thirst for vengeance 
and the dread that his robbery might be 
discovered urged him on. So he strode 
along through the gloomy forest like a wild 
beast upon the track of his prey, and at 
last, reeking with perspiration and nearly 
exhausted, he drew near the ruin in which 
the boys had taken refuge. The flickering 
gleam from his lantern threw a long ray of 
light across the darkness and sent a shiver 
of deathly fear through Ulrich’s whole 
body. Uttering a shriek, he pulled Hans 
up from the ground, where he lay out- 


174 


LITTLE HANS. 


stretched and sound asleep, and cried to 
him, 

“ Wenzel is coming ! Get on your horse, 
quick, and flee.” 

‘‘ Pooh !” said Hans, startled, but still 
overpowered by sleep ; “ you are seeing 
ghosts, Ulrich. How can Wenzel be com- 
ing?”. 

“ Fly ! For mercy’s sake, fly !” repeated 
Ulrich. “ To horse, quick ! Mount, and 
get into the forest as fast as you can. I’ll 
follow on foot. But hurry, hurry ! Every 
moment is precious.” 

Another flash from the lantern : Hans 
was convinced, and hesitated no longer. 
With one hasty bound he vaulted into the 
saddle. 

It is he — it must be,” he said. ‘‘ Your 
hand, quick, Ulrich ! Get up behind. The 
pony can carry us both, and Wenzel can’t 
overtake us. Quick, quick! I won’t go 
without you.” 

Ulrich did not hesitate. In a moment he 


LITTLE HANS. 


175 


was on Rustan’s slippery back, clinging to 
Hans with both arms around him. 

‘‘ Go along, Rustan cried Hans, shaking 
the reins. 

The obedient creature sprang out of the 
building at a gallop and rushed past Wen- 
zel like a flash of light, unheeding his cry 
of ‘‘ Haltr 

“ They will escape,” he hissed, and, rais- 
ing his musket to his shoulder, took aim. 
The bullet flew after the fugitives with a 
crackling noise, and a scream of anguish 
betrayed that it had taken effect. 

Wenzel ran forward, lifting the lantern 
high above his head. With ten bounds he 
had overtaken them. The pony, struck by 
the bullet, fell down and lay upon the 
two boys, who in vain exerted their utmost 
strength to free themselves from the wound- 
ed beast. 

A wild yell of triumph burst from Wen- 
zel’s lips. At a blow from the butt-end of 
the musket, the pony, who was but slightly 


176 


LITTLE HANS. 


injured, started up and plunged wildly 
into the forest. The next moment the boys 
were in the grasp of their tyrant. 

Kascals !” he shrieked. ‘‘You shall pay 
for this. You won’t think about running 
away a second time. Get along back to 
the hut ! And woe be to you if you try to 
escape ! I’ve got another bullet in my 
musket.” 

The boys were too much paralyzed by the 
shock to make the least resistance or remon- 
strance. Dumb with pain and terror, they 
obeyed Wenzel, who drove them before him 
through the forest with blows and curses, un- 
til at last they reached the hut. Frau Sabi- 
na, who had recovered from the effects of 
her husband’s ill-usage, with horror saw the 
return of the boys. 

Wenzel bound both of them with ropes 
and pushed them into a dark closet, which 
he doubly and trebly bolted, and left them 
there, a prey to terror and dread. He him- 
self returned thoughtfully to the room, 


LITTLE HANS. 


177 


shortly ordered liis wife to go to bed, and 
remained alone with his dark thoughts and 
plans. 

Oh what a fool I was cried Hans, 
sorrowfully, as he found himself alone with 
Ulrich, a helpless prisoner. “ What a wretch 
I was not to do as you said, when you beg- 
ged and prayed me so ! We should be safe 
and free now, and, instead of that, . I have 
brought you, as well as myself, to dreadful 
punishment, my poor true Ulrich ! Can 
you ever forgive me 

“ Not a word of that,’’ said Ulrich; “think 
only about yourself, for you are in a worse 
case than I am. Wenzel will have to let me 
go, for I don’t belong to him and he dare 
not hurt me much. But you, poor Hansie 
— no one here knows you, and every one 
will believe what he says of you. He has 
told everybody that you are a relative of 
his whom he has saved from the greatest 
poverty and distress. Every one believes 

him ; and, besides, no one thinks it any 
12 


178 


LITTLE HANS. 


business of his to get you out of his power. 
But don’t despair, Hans ; you have one 
friend yet, and that is I, and I will never 
forsake you, but will always look out to 
help you.” 

‘‘ You good Ulrich !” said Hans, deeply 
touched. “ How have I deserved your 
friendship? I have only brought you into 
trouble through my own foolishness. Ah ! 
the parson at the castle was right when he 
said, ‘The ungodly shall fall by his own 
foolishness.’ Why did not I mind him? 
Why did not I pay attention to his warn- 
ings? Why did not I think what dreadful 
danger I was bringing you into by my ob- 
stinacy ? Ah ! I forgot God, dear Ulrich, 
and now he is punishing me. I bear only 
what I deserve; but you — oh, I am sorry 
from the bottom of my heart that you must 
suffer with me.” 

“Don’t worry about that, Hansie,” said 
Ulrich, heartily ; “ I am quite willing to 
suffer with you. And, see ! if the dear Lord 


LITTLE HANS. 


179 


punishes you for your faults, he will surely 
punish Wenzel for his, for he is a great 
deal worse than you. You are sorry ; you 
ask God to forgive you and will try to 
do better; but Wenzel — he just delights 
in being bad and only thinks how he can 
be worse. God will punish him sorely ; 
and if you only try hard to be good and 
look to him, he will surely save you out 
of all your trouble. Only you must really 
try to be good.” 

“ Yes, indeed — yes, indeed, dear Ulrich !” 
said Hans. I will try from this very 
moment to be really good, and 'won’t com- 
plain at the trouble that God has sent 
me. I see now how naughty my whole 
life has been, and that everybody was right 
when they scolded me and tried to make 
me better — the good sergeant, the school- 
master, the parson and all. Oh how ashamed 
I feel when I think of the naughty, wicked 
things I used to do ! No, no ! God sees that 
I had not really been as sorry for my naugh- 


180 


LITTLE HANS. 


tiness as I ought to be, that I did not see 
myself as I truly was, and that is the rea- 
son why he let me go back to my old faults 
and brought me again into Wenzel’s power. 
I see now that I have got to suffer all this 
that I may know my own naughtiness and 
learn to look to him for strength ; but I will 
try to bear all patiently, and I know that the 
dear Lord will forgive me.” 

That’s right, Hansie,” said Ulrich, great- 
ly pleased ; I am so glad you feel so. And 
be sure that God will not forsake you. When 
he, our heavenly Father, punishes us, it is 
always for our good ; my dear mother told 
me that before she died. So take courage, 
Hansie. With God’s help, we’ll come out 
all right: you know ‘the arm of the un- 
godly shall be broken.’ That just means 
Wenzel. You aren’t ‘the ungodly’ that 
that verse means : you don’t want to be 
bad ; you are sorry, and are trying to do 
better. But it just suits Wenzel, and you’ll 
see that God will find him out in his sins, 


LITTLE HANS. 


181 


because he isn’t sorry nor trying to be 
better.” 

Wenzel thought neither of being sorry 
nor of doing better. While the two boys 
were sharing their hopes with each other 
and asking God’s forgiveness and help, he 
was brooding over his dark plans ; and his 
evil mood got more and more power over 
him and stifled the few good emotions that 
remained in his heart. 

‘‘ It’s of no use,” he muttered ; ‘‘ I must 
put an end to this, or all will be betrayed 
and I am lost. The two boys understand 
each other. Ulrich is cunning; Hans will 
have told him everything ; he will tell again, 
and the constables will come and search 
everywhere. The ofiicers will find the gold 
— arrest me ! Ha ! The boys must die — 
they must, the rascals ! Nothing shall save 
them.” He sprang up from his seat and 
paced the room with hasty, uncertain steps. 
His excited fancy painted to him all the 
consequences of his theft — imprisonment. 


182 


LITTLE HANS, 


the rattling chains, the stony cell, the con- 
tempt of all good men, perhaps even the 
gallows. No, that was not to be thought of. 
What was the boy, that he should suffer for. 
him and Ulrich ? 

“ Pah I” thought Wenzel ; “ why did he 
help the boy ? He too must die — he must, 
or all is lost.” 

He relapsed into gloomy silence, meditating 
on the best means for carrying out his design. 
His plan was soon made. A horrible smile 
showed that he thought it sure and safe. 

That’s it — that’s it !” he murmured ; 
“ they will disappear, and the grave that I 
will dig for them shall never open.” 

What ! both the boys ? Both f Was it 
not horrible? Would not Wenzel have 
done better to hearken to his conscience and 
his wife and his God ? Could he not give up 
the stolen money and let the boy go free ? 
Wenzel thought of it — indeed, a secret voice 
urged him to it; but his covetousness was 
too strong. He had begun to consider the 


LITTLE HANS. 


183 


gold as his own ; he could not give it up — 
he would not; and so it was with him as 
with all evil-doers : one sin prepared the 
way for another, one crime followed another. 
And the end ? Ah ! if he had thought of 
the end, if he had thought of God, if he 
had thought of the words, These things 
hast thou done and I kept silence, but I 
will reprove thee, and set them in order 
before thine eyes”! Ah! Wenzel thought 
neither of God nor of judgment. The 
glimmer of the gold dazzled him, and he 
was a lost man — lost in this world and the 
next. He chose sin for his ruler, and he 
was learning that the way of transgressors 
is hard. 

The gray morning dawned, and Wenzel 
opened the closet where he had imprisoned 
the boys, loosed their bonds, and called to 
them, with more kindness than they could 
have expected after the events of the past 
night, to follow him into the room. The 
boys obeyed with surprise. 


184 


LITTLE HANS. 


“Listen,” said Wenzel, when they had 
entered. “You did a very foolish thing 
last evening, but you are very silly children 
yet ; so I will overlook it this time, and not 
punish you as I had at first intended. But 
if you try it again, nothing will save you. 
So look out! Don’t let a word of all this 
pass your lips, or it will be the worse for 
you. Be silent and obedient, and you won’t 
repent it. And now get ready : we must go 
to work.” 

The boys heard these apparently gentle 
words with astonishment, but they dared not 
speak, though they exchanged significant 
glances and Ulrich shrugged his shoulders. 
On the way to the mine, however, he whis- 
pered hastily, 

“Don’t trust him. He only wants to 
make sure of us.” 

Hans replied by a pressure of the hand, 
and they entered the shaft. Wenzel led 
them to a heap of broken ore which they 
were to break small, and then gathered his 


LITTLE HANS. 


185 


own tools together to go to another part of 
the mine to begin his day’s labor. 

‘‘Now work hard,” he said as he left 
them ; “ get through here as quick as possi- 
ble. I am going to the Scheeren gallery; 
follow me there as soon as you are ready.” 

“To the Scheeren gallery!” said Ulrich, 
surprised. “It hasn’t been worked in a 
long time.” 

“ Just so ; but that’s none of your busi- 
ness,” said Wenzel, with his former harsh- 
ness. “ You have only to do what you are 
told.” With these words he turned his 
back upon the boys and went farther on 
into the dark passages of the mine. 

Ulrich looked after him thoughtfully, 
shaking his head. 

“ I know he has nothing good in his 
mind,” said he, “else why does he leave 
us alone ? He is planning some mean trick 
or other, and we must be on our guard. But, 
all the same, just wait a moment. I’ll just 
run to the boss and ask him to allow us both 


186 


LITTLE HANS. 


work together to-day. As long as I am 
with you Wenzel cannot do you any harm. 
I know every inch of the Scheeren gallery, 
and it isn’t so pleasant there as one might 
wish. But don’t be afraid; I won’t stir 
from your side to-day.” 

Ulrich hastened away, and soon returned 
wearing a look of great satisfaction. 

“All right,” he said ; “ the boss says we 
may work together. And now we’ll see 
if Wenzel dares do anything.” 

The two boys went cheerfully on with 
their work in company, carrying ore to 
the shaft and talking as happily together 
as if Wenzel were not in the world. 

In the mean time, Wenzel had gone to 
the farther extremity of this subterranean 
region. He narrowly observed everything 
in the dark passages, from whose slippery 
walls the water was trickling drop by drop. 
He struck here and there with his hammer, 
and at last came to a standstill where two 
passages met in the form of a cross. Only 


LITTLE HANS. 


187 


three of the four paths led to any opening ; 
the fourth lost itself in the depths of the 
mountain and was only a sort of labyrinth, 
from which no one who had once lost his 
way in it could escape. 

Here Wenzel remained, boring into the 
rock and working stealthily and with om- 
inous haste. His miner^s lamp lighted up 
his face; a dark determination shone from 
his features, and the cunning expression of 
his eyes told of the evil thoughts that had 
possession of him. He rolled a few heavy 
masses of ore, which he broke loose from 
the rocky wall, to one side in the passage 
and then bored a deep hole in the rock, 
which he filled full of powder and closed 
with a wooden plug provided with a touch- 
hole. Through this touch-hole he passed a 
fuse, the other end of which he carefully 
concealed under loose rubbish, so that it 
could not be discovered. He then fastened 
a second fuse to the first one, very near 
to the touch-hole, and left it hanging free 


188 


LITTLE HANS. 


in plain sight. He gazed upon his work 
with a cruel joy. 

“ Now we’ll see,” he murmured to him- 
self, “ if any one will cast blame upon me. 
Boys are careless : if the mine explodes, 
every one will lay it to their heedlessness, 
and nobody will ask any more about it.” 

He looked narrowly around once more, 
to make sure that all was ready, and again 
betook himself to his former work. The 
rocks fell fast beneath the heavy blows of 
his hammer ; and when Ulrich and Hans 
at last came, they noticed nothing which 
could arouse the slightest suspicion. 

‘‘Have you had your dinner?” asked 
Wenzel. 

“ Yes,” replied Ulrich. “ It is three 
o’clock; we should have had to wait a 
good while if we had waited for you.” 

“All right,” replied Wenzel, with un- 
wonted gentleness. “I was working hard, 
and forgot all about dinner. Break those 
blocks up small, while I go away and take 



t 




LITTLE HANS. 


189 


a short nap. And look out not to go near 
that fuse ; there is a mine there, all loaded 
ready for blasting. Be careful, now, or you 
will get yourselves into trouble.” 

“All right,” answered Ulrich, with a care- 
less glance at the unlighted fuse, which was 
hanging from the touch-hole. “ That won’t 
do us any harm, I guess.” 

With these words he and Hans passed into 
the farther end of the blind alley in which 
Wenzel had been working, and Wenzel took 
advantage of the moment in which they had 
their backs turned to examine once more the 
concealed fuse; then, casting a sinister glance 
after the two boys, he went away. 

“ He is gone, Hans,” said Ulrich, when the 
sound of Wenzel’s footsteps and the dim 
light of his miner’s lamp had died away. 
“ What do you think of this wonderful 
change in his manner ? He seems so kind 
and gentle, and yet, when I remember how 
sour he looked and what a sly expression 
there was in his eye, my heart fails me. He 


190 


LITTLE HANS. 


surely has some wicked plot in his mind. I 
don’t know if it wouldn’t be best for us to 
go straight to the overseer and tell him the 
whole story. He likes me pretty well ; and 
if he believes us, he will protect us from 
Wenzel.” 

‘‘But if he doesn’t believe us?” asked 
Hans. “What if Wenzel lies us down? 
What will become of us then? I would 
rather try to run away once more — now, this 
moment. We are alone; nobody is thinking 
of us. We can slip out and get away into 
the forest; and when Wenzel comes back 
here this evening, we shall be ever so far 
away.” 

“ That won’t do — it won’t do,” answered 
Ulrich. “At least, not yet. Wenzel is 
lurking somewhere around, and would soon 
miss us. We’d better wait till night; it 
won’t be so stormy as it was last time, and 
he won’t discover our tracks so easily, and so 
he will give up trying to find us. Have pa- 
tience, Hans; the right moment will soon 


LITTLE HANS. 


191 


come, and will find us ready. Then we will 
run away together. I have neither father nor 
mother, and a life in the open air would suit 
me much better than the life here under the 
ground, where one sees nothing but staring 
rocks and flickering lights.’’ 

‘‘And my father will be so glad to have 
you come home with me,” said Hans, “ and 
Paul too. Then you would be my brother, 
Ulrich. How nice that would be!” 

“ Who knows ?” replied Ulrich, thought- 
fully. “Anyhow, where there’s a will there’s 
a way, my mother used to say, and I believe 
it ; and I am going to keep on hoping that 
we shall get away safe from here. But wait 
a minute : what is it that smells so like sul- 
phur ? Don’t you smell it, Hans ?” 

“Why, yes, this long while,” answered 
Hans. “ What’s the harm of that ?” 

“ What harm I Harm enough !” and Ul- 
rich sprang up. “ Wenzel would surely 
not — ” With a single bound he was at the 
touch-hole examining the fuse. It hung 


192 LITTLE HANS. 

I 

there all right, but there, not far from the 
touch-hole, was a dull glimmer. 

Ulrich shrieked aloud and stretched out 
his hand to tear away the concealed fuse, 
which he now discovered; but it was too 
late. A frightful explosion was heard ; 
a dazzling glare of burning powder for a 
moment lit up the gallery; then came a 
heavy crash as of a falling wall, and the 
smoke of the powder curled up in thick 
blue clouds and filled all the gallery. 

Wenzel had not miscalculated. The gal- 
lery, having no outlet, was now entirely 
closed up by the fallen masses of rock, 
and nothing could be seen or heard of the 
boys who had been working there. The 
stillness of death reigned in the dark soli- 
tary places of this little subterranean world. 

Were Hans and Ulrich alive, or had the 
falling rocks crushed them beneath their 
weight? And if they lived, would it be 
possible that they should be rescued from 
their living tomb? Ah! there was little 


LITTLE HANS. 


193 


hope of that. The mine had been skillfully 
planned, and now great masses of stone 
blocked up the only entrance to the blind 
alley where the children were. Not the 
slightest trace of it was to be found. 

13 


CHAPTER IX. 


Call upon me in the day of trouble : I 
will deliver thee/^ 

rpHE heavy crash of the exploding mine, 
^ echoing from gallery to gallery, from 
shaft to shaft, filled all the miners with 
terror and anxiety. Every one felt sure 
that an accident had happened, for the 
report had been far too heavy to be attrib- 
uted to ordinary blasting. The men hastened 
together from all quarters, inquiring hastily 
and confusedly where the explosion had 
occurred. 

“ To the Scheeren gallery cried the loud 
voice of the overseer. “The report came 
from there, and there are clouds of smoke 
in that direction, too. Forward, men, for- 
ward ! We may not be too late to rescue 
some unlucky fellow.” 

194 


LITTLE HANS. 


195 


The miners rushed pell-mell after the 
overseer in the direction of the well-known 
gallery. They went as far as the entrance 
of the blind alley, but here masses of rock 
barred their way, and the smoke was so 
thick that the men could hardly breathe 
and the lamps began to burn dim. They 
were obliged to stop. 

‘‘ Silence cried the overseer ; and all 
the men instantly obeyed. “ Attention, 
men ! Listen, all of you, for any cry for 
help; I know that Wenzel was working 
here with two boys. Stay where you are 
till the smoke clears away.” 

Breathless silence reigned. Every man 
strained his ears to detect the first sign of 
life from the unfortunates, but no sound 
was to be heard. 

Is Wenzel here ?” asked the overseer, 
after a short pause. ‘‘Let no one answer 
but himself.” 

No reply. Every one shuddered; then 
a suppressed sigh was heard, followed by a 


196 


LITTLE HANS. 


smothered groan, and all the miners shouted 
in return and hastened in the direction from 
whence the sounds had come. A cry from 
one of them soon proclaimed that the un- 
fortunate man had been found. 

Here he is ! This way, men !” cried the 
overseer. “ Wenzel is here, half buried 
under a mass of rock. Help, men,help ! 

Twenty or thirty hands were ready with 
the needed help. Although Wenzel was 
little liked or respected by his comrades, 
yet every one now felt compassion for him. 
He lay, pale and bloody, with closed eyes 
and distorted countenance, groaning and 
sighing, in a state of semi-unconsciousness. 
A heavy mass of rock lay across both 
legs. 

‘‘To work, men!” cried the overseer. “Roll 
this rock away. Carefully, or you will hurt 
the poor fellow the more. There ! there I 
there ! Now all together ! That’s right. 
Merciful goodness 1 both legs crushed ! What 
a horrible calamity I” 


LITTLE HANS. 


197 


Yes, both legs, from the thighs down, had 
been crushed by the immense mass of rock ; 
and as the men laid hold of him to lift him 
up and carry him out of the mine he ut- 
tered an agonized shriek and then went 
from one fainting-fit to another. His tor- 
tures were unspeakable. A cold sweat burst 
from his forehead, his face was as white as 
ashes, and the horrible anguish which the 
motion of carrying caused him wrung shriek 
after shriek from his livid lips. He besought 
the men to take pity on him and kill him 
outright; but no one dared to heed his 
desperate prayer, although every one hoped 
that a speedy death might put an end to 
his sufferings. 

They hastened with him to his hut, where 
they were met by the doctor, who had hur- 
ried thither at the first news of the misfor- 
tune. When he had examined Wenzel, -he 
gave very little hope. 

He must lose both legs,’’ he said. “ God 
only knows whether he can live through it.” 


198 


LITTLE HANS. 


“ Is there no other chance ?” asked the 
overseer. 

“None,” replied the doctor, decidedly. 

“ Then make no delay, doctor. Do your 
best, and the rest we must leave to God.” 

Wenzel lived through the operation, and 
the doctor then dared to give some slight 
hope. Still, the miner was so weak that 
he could make no answer to the overseer’s 
anxious inquiries about the two boys. He 
only groaned and shook his head wildly 
at each, question, motioning the questioner 
away with his hands. No answer could be 
obtained from him, and of course no infor- 
mation as to the cause of the accident. 

“ Nothing can be done here,” said the 
overseer at length. — “ You two, Christopher 
and Martin, stay here to wait on Wenzel ; 
we others must go back to the mine and 
try if we can rescue those poor children.” 

They went, and soon all were zealously 
at work to remove the masses of rock which 
blocked up the entrance to the blind alley. 


LITTLE HANS. 


199 


Pickaxes and shovels were wielded with a 
will, but the mass of rock was immense, 
and the overseer had little hope that the 
debris could be cleared away in time to 
rescue the buried children, if indeed they 
yet lived and had not rather been crushed 
by the falling rocks. 

Still, the boys were alive. The mine had 
gone off rather prematurely for the success 
of Wenzel’s wicked plans; for just as the 
atrocious deed which he had devised with 
such cold-blooded skill was about to be 
accomplished, a sudden horrible fear came 
over him. Conscience awoke like a giant 
in his breast, and his intended crime ap- 
peared to him in so fearful a light, the base 
advantage which he would gain from it 
seemed so small, that he wavered in his in- 
tention. Conscience spoke to him in thun- 
der-tones. He wandered here and there, driv- 
en by remorse ; he suddenly remembered the 
words that little Hans had repeated to him 
only a few days before : 


200 


LITTLE HANS. 


These things hast thou done, and I kept 
silence : thou thoughtest that I was altogether 
such an one as thyself; but I will reprove 
thee and set them in order before thine 
eyes/’ ( 

The avenging God stood before him in all 
his greatness and majesty. What a frightful 
crime had he ^^roposed ! and that for a few 
pieces of gold which perhaps nobody would 
ever ask after — for purloining which he was 
not likely to be brought to justice! And 
for this should he .murder two innocent chil- 
dren ? No, no !” thundered his conscience. 
He dared not resist its voice. There was 
yet time to ward off the calamity. He has- 
tened back toward the alley where the fatal 
mine was. Oh, if he had not hesitated so 
long ! And yet again he stopped, then went 
forward, stopped again. The fuse was long : 
there was plenty of time, he thought. He 
lingered, hesitating between good and evil. 
At last the fear of an avenging God drove 
him forward. Ten steps more, and all would 


LITTLE HANS. 


201 


be safe. He had only to reach out his hand 
and remove the fuse. He saw the boys sit- 
ting together, hand in hand, in confidential 
talk, and once more the evil spirit came over 
him and he hesitated. Then Ulrich sprang 
up, and the wretched man hastened away. 

But it was too late. The mine exploded ; 
the rocks flew in all directions; a mighty 
block fell on him. A fearful cry burst from 
his lips; the horrible deed was done. He 
lay there crushed, and the boys — the poor 
guiltless sacrifices to his despicable covet- 
ousness — were buried from the sight of 
all the living by inflexible walls of rock. 

‘‘ Oh, Ulrich, what was that ?” said Hans, 
half aloud, waking from the stupefaction 
into which terror and the concussion of the 
air had thrown him. ‘‘ It is all dark ; the 
safety-lamp has gone out. And, Ulrich — 
Oh, what has become of him ? Ulrich ! 
Ulrich ! Answer me, I pray you.’’ His 
friend gave no reply. 


202 


LITTLE HANS. 


Hans sprang up and groped around. 
Wherever he touched were only sharp- 
cornered rocks which he could not move. 
He thought of his lamp. It was out, to 
be sure, but he remembered having stood 
it on a block of stone beside him, and 
he hastily felt around for it. With a cry 
of joy he found it, and lighted it again by 
the aid of his tinder-box. Now, at last, he 
could see. He hastily examined the narrow 
space which enclosed him, and soon found 
his friend, pale and senseless. 

Hans rubbed his temples with a little 
water, and with indescribable joy perceived 
that the color returned to his cheeks and his 
breast began to heave. 

“ Ulrich,” he cried — “ Ulrich, dear Ul- 
rich — wake up !” 

The voice of his friend recalled the faint- 
ing boy to life. He opened his eyes and 
looked around in surprise: 

‘‘ Hans ! Thank God that you are alive !” 

“ Of course I am alive,” said Hans, em- 


LITTLE HANS. 


203 


bracing his friend in ecstasy. But tell me, 
for mercy’s sake, what has happened. Every- 
thing is so changed around us. I heard a 
thunder-clap. Is the mountain fallen in 
over us?” 

‘‘ Don’t you know ?” asked Ulrich, in sur- 
prise. “ It is not a common accident that 
has happened ; we have Wenzel’s wickedness 
to thank for this. The mine that he warned 
us against has gone off, and it seems a mir- 
acle to me that we were not both instantly 
killed.” 

“ The mine ?” said Hans, doubtfully. 
“ But we did not go near it : how could the 
fuse have got lighted ? You must be mis- 
taken, Ulrich.” 

“ No, no ! I am not mistaken,” replied 
the boy, positively. saw a light glim- 
mer. The scoundrel must have hidden an- 
other fuse and lighted it secretly, just to kill 
us. Thank God that he did not succeed in 
this, at least.” ' 

But that is too horrible,” said Hans ; I 


204 


LITTLE HANS. 


cannot believe in anything so wicked. Oh, 
you must be mistaken.” 

‘‘No, no! I am not,” answered Ulrich. 
“ I suspected that the rascal had some wick- 
ed plot when he told us to come here. To 
be sure, I did not imagine anything so bad 
as this. But no matter, Hans; we can 
think about that later. The first thing is 
to see how we can get out of this place. 
We are as much buried as if we were in 
a grave, but we mustn’t lose our courage. 
The men have certainly heard the noise of 
the explosion, and will be sure to come to 
help us. Just hold the light, Hans ; per- 
haps we can find a place somewhere by 
which we can crawl out.” 

Ulrich searched carefully on every side 
of the vault, and especially on the side 
toward the entrance ; but he discovered 
nothing which could inspire in him the 
least hope. 

“ There is no use in deceiving ourselves,” 
he said, at last, with a sigh ; “ we are buried, 


LITTLE HANS. 


206 


and help can come to us only from without. 
Our strength is far too feeble to move these 
great rocks. And, besides, we shall soon be 
in the dark : the oil in the lamp will not 
last more than three hours at most. We 
are in a bad case, Hans, and must be ready 
for the worst.” 

‘‘ But you just said that the miners would 
come and get us out,” replied Hans. 

“ Yes, to be sure, if they can,” answered 
Ulrich. “ But who knows how thick is the 
wall which separates us from them ? I am 
afraid the whole length of the gallery has 
fallen in.” 

“ What makes you afraid of that ?” asked 
Hans, anxiously. 

“Because I put my ear to the wall of 
rock and did not hear the slightest sound 
from without. Now, there isn’t the least 
doubt in the world that they are at work 
for our rescue, and it seems to me a bad 
sign that we don’t hear the blows of their 
hammers and pickaxes. If the distance 


206 


LITTLE HANS. 


between us and them were not very great, 
we should hear something.’’ 

‘‘That is true,” said Hans, sorrowfully, 
leaning his head on his hand. “ What shall 
we do now ?” 

Ulrich shrugged his shoulders. 

“Wait,” said he, “and hammer on the 
rocks to let them know that we are alive. 
If they know that, they will work twice 
as hard. Take your hammer and strike 
the rock from time to time. And let us 
arrange a place to sit close to the wall be- 
fore our light goes out, so that we may not 
strike at random in the darkness. Come 
on, Hans! Whatever we can do to help 
ourselves we must do. We won’t give up 
hope, though things do look so dark. We 
can hold out for a day or two, and then 
we’ll see where we are.” 

Both the boys went quickly to work to 
clear a place near the entrance of their 
prison. Each made a kind of seat for 
himself, and then began to pound on the 


LITTLE HANS. 


207 


wall with his hammer. They continued 
this at regular intervals, sometimes listen- 
ing to see if there was any token of ap- 
proaching rescue. 

“ It won’t do to tire ourselves out,” said 
Ulrich during a pause, “although we must 
do everything we can. But, not to forget 
one thing, didn’t you have a flask of water, 
Hans?” 

“ Yes, to be sure,” he replied. “ It is 
behind the rocks over there, and is almost 
full.” 

“ Good !” said Ulrich. “ Bring it here 
and put it between us. It is worth every- 
thing to us, and we must use it sparingly. 
Get it while it is light, for it will soon be 
dark, and you might stumble and spill it. 
And how is it about food ? Have you any 
bread or anything?” 

“ One little piece of bread, and that is 
all,” replied Hans. 

“ That is better than nothing ; I too have 
a piece. Let’s divide it even and save it till 


208 


LITTLE HANS. 


morning, or as long as we can do without it 
— the longer, the better. It is lucky that 
weVe had our dinners. I sha’n’t want any- 
thing more for twenty-four hours.” 

‘‘ Nor I, either,” said Hans ; “ so we need 
not be afraid of starving for two or three 
days at least. There ! There’s my bread, 
and here is the water-flask. Let’s lay them 
together in this niche in the rock, where they 
will be handy. The water-flask will stand 
steadily there.” 

Every preparation for the approaching 
darkness was carefully made, and the boys 
resumed their hammering on the rock, which 
gave out sparks at each blow. They spoke 
seldom, for each was occupied with his own 
thoughts and afraid to share them with the 
other. Neither wished to take away the 
other’s hope, and yet, in fact, neither of 
them had much hope of escape. They often 
paused to listen, pressing their ears against 
the cold, damp rocks, but not the slightest 
sound could be heard ; and they began to 


LITTLE HANS. 


209 


fear that either no steps had been taken for 
their rescue or else that the mass of fallen 
rock which lay between them and the outer 
world was too great to be removed. 

Thus passed away a few hours, and the 
light of the safety-lamp began to burn dim. 
The oil was nearly spent ; the flame flared 
up a few times, grew fainter and fainter, 
and then went out. Thick darkness en- 
wrapped the vault in impenetrable gloom. 

Oh !” said both the boys at once ; and 
Ulrich added, What difference does it 
make ? The light didn’t really do us any 
good.” 

‘‘ But it was a sort of comfort,” said Hans, 
sorrowfully. “ We could at least see each 
other, and now — This darkness is really 
frightful.” 

‘‘ Yes, so it is,” replied Ulrich. “ But 
no matter; we must get used to it. And, 
besides, the sparks that we make with our 
hammers give a little light. Just look, 
Hans.” 


14 


210 


LITTLE HANS. 


Tlie sparks did indeed froin moment to 
moment light up the narrow space, so that 
the boys could see a vague outline of each 
other’s forms, and even the shining of their 
eyes. Little as this was, it comforted them 
both, and they swung their hammers with a 
will, striking out flash after flash from the 
black walls of their melancholy prison. 

Hour after hour passed away. The boys 
exchanged few words, for neither of them 
had anything to say. 

Hans at last became so tired that he could 
not keep his eyes open. 

‘‘ I think it must be night outside,” said 
he, rousing himself and trying to shake ofl* 
his sleepiness. 

“ I think so myself,” replied Ulrich. 
“ ril tell you what : lie down a little while 
and sleep. I’ll stay awake a while and ham- 
mer. If I hear anything from outside, I’ll 
wake you up.” 

“But you too must be tired,” replied 
Hans. “ You lie down too, and sleep.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


211 


“ No, no ! One of us must stay awake and 
keep on pounding,” said Ulrich. ‘‘ When I 
feel the need of sleep. I’ll wake you up, and 
you may take your turn. Take off your 
jacket and put it under your head for a 
pillow. You won’t be cold, for to me it 
seems very warm here.” 

‘‘ Yes, I am all in a perspiration,” replied 
Hans. “ But I wonder how the air can be 
so good in this little place? Just think! 
we must have been breathing it for five or 
six hours. I cannot understand why it is 
not all exhausted.” 

‘‘We may thank the cracks and crevices 
in the rocks for that,” replied Ulrich. “ I 
confess that at first I was afraid that we 
should smother, but now I don’t fear it any 
more. Fresh air must come to us from 
somewhere, or we should be dead already. 
So go to sleep and don’t worry.” 

“And you will waken me when you are 
tired ?” asked Hans. 

“ Yes ; I promise you that,” replied Ul- 


212 


LITTLE HANS. 


rich, because it will never do to omit any- 
thing which may help toward our rescue.” 

“All right. Then I’ll lie down, for I’m 
horribly tired,” said Hans, stretching him- 
self out at Ulrich’s feet. In a few moments 
his soft and even breathing showed that he 
was sound asleep. 

“ Sleep on, poor child !” said Ulrich, 
compassionately. “ You may forget your 
trouble for a few hours at least ; for indeed 
you are in trouble. I have almost no hope 
that we shall ever get out of this tomb. 
The whole passage must have fallen in, or 
else I should have heard some noise by this 
time. But everything is still ; not a single 
sound. No ; it is all over with both of us. 
Our eyes will never, never again see the 
cheerful light of day. And Hans sleeps so 
peacefully ! He still has hope. Sleep on, 
dear boy ; as long as I can I shall keep up 
your hope, although I may dread the worst. 
Oh, that rascal Wenzel has carried out his 
wicked plans only too well. Tq be sure, we 


LITTLE HANS. 


213 


are still alive, but for how long? A few 
days more at most, and then all will be 
over.” 

With these words Ulrich went on indefat- 
igably pounding on the wall, now listening 
intently, and more than once starting for 
joy as he thought he heard a sound in the 
distance. But each time he found that he 
was deceived : most generally it was a sigh 
or a movement of his sleeping companion 
in misfortune which he had taken for a sign 
of approaching rescue, and he would shake 
his head sorrowfully, murmur that it was 
nothing, and hammer again and listen 
again; but he would hammer and listen 
always in vain. At last he too was tired. 
Irresistible sleep took possession of him ; 
the heavy hammer fell from his weary hand. 
With a last effort he tried to wake up Hans, 
and then sank down upon the earth. 

Hans started up at the first touch of his 
friend’s hand, but he fell back again; and 
now the sound of the hammer was’ hushed. 


214 


LITTLE HANS. 


and the two boys slept, arm in arm and 
cheek to cheek, while without the brave 
miners were working eagerly for their res- 
cue. But the mass of rock was very great — 
greater than at first they had suspected ; and 
even the overseer doubted if all their exer- 
tions would lead to any favorable result. 
Still, he kept up heart and encouraged the 
men to go on with their work ; and the men 
picked and shoveled, and every foot of 
ground gained stirred them up to renewed 
diligence. 

Hans was the first to waken from the 
deep sleep which enwrapped them both. 

“ Ulrich r he cried ; but Ulrich made no 
answer: he was asleep. 

Hans raised himself up and groped around 
for the hammer, and when he had found it 
struck lustily on the rock. 

The first blow aroused Ulrich. • 

‘‘ Goodness !” said he ; “I must have been 
asleep. Hid I wake you up, Hans?” 

“ Yes;” replied the other ; “ to be sure you 


LITTLE HANS. 


216 


did. Only I am real sorry ; I was so 
awfully tired ! But, after all, what does it 
matter ? There is not yet a sound from 
outside.” 

“We cannot hear any, that’s certain,” 
answered Ulrich, sighing. “All the same, I 
would like to know how long we have been 
asleep. Aren’t you hungry, Hans?” 

“Yes, a little; but I won’t eat yet: I 
would rather wait. You eat, Ulrich.” 

“ No ; I can hold out longer,” he replied. 
“We’ll just each take a swallow of water. 
Here’s the flask. Drink !” 

Hans drank, and Ulrich set the flask back 
in the niche without raising it to his lips. 
He understood better than Hans the neces- 
sity of being sparing with their scanty supply, 
and he heroically endured hunger and thirst 
in order to give the greater share to the little 
friend who was more delicate than he, and 
less accustomed to privation. 

“That’s refreshing, Ulrich,” said Hans; 
“now I can work a good while longer.” 


216 


LITTLE HANS. 


‘‘ Yes,” replied Ulrich, “ and that’s a good 
thing, for it may be a long while yet before 
we are set free. Take your hammer, and 
let’s pound again.” 

They pounded and pounded, listened and 
listened, for hours longer ; but all was still. 
Their hunger became greater, until at last it 
was unendurable. 

It’s no use,” said Hans, at last ; “ I must 
eat some bread.” 

“Yes, eat,” said Ulrich. “I can wait 
a while longer.” 

“ No, that you shall not,” replied Hans. 
“ We’ll both eat together, and you must take 
as much as I do. Give me the bread, dear 
Ulrich; I’ll divide it.” 

Ulrich reached the bread. Hans broke it 
in two pieces, kept the smaller for himself 
and handed the larger to his friend. As he 
eagerly bit into it the hammer slipped from 
his lap and struck against a corner of rock. 
Sparks flew up, and by their light Hans saw 
that Ulrich was not eating, but had laid his 


LITTLE HANS. 


217 


bit of bread back into the niche of the 
rock. 

Ha !’’ he cried ; “ that isn’t fair, Ulrich. 
You mustn’t deceive me, or I won’t eat an- 
other bit. Do you think that I can endure 
to have you hungry?” 

“ Pooh ! I am not hungry. And, besides, 
you need more food than I do,” replied Ul- 
rich. “ I have often gone a whole day at a 
time without eating, and it did me no 
harm.” 

‘‘Then won’t you eat anything — really 
not?” asked Hans. 

“ No ; at least, not yet,” replied Ulrich. 

“Well, then, here’s my piece of bread,” 
said Hans, decidedly, laying his portion back 
in the niche. “And now let me tell you, Ul- 
rich, what I shall do: I won’t touch that bread 
again till you have eaten. And I shall see 
you eat, too : the sparks will give light 
enough, so that I can see. And now you 
know that I mean it, and I shall not be 
deceived again. I am the cause of your get- 


218 


LITTLE HAES. 


ting into this trouble, and you shall not 
starve yourself to give me what you need as 
much as I do. That’s too much, Ulrich, 
and I won’t bear it any longer.” 

Ulrich tried to remonstrate, but Hans was 
firm. He neither ate nor drank, but endured 
both hunger and thirst with fortitude, al- 
though he suffered much. 

Ulrich was forced to yield at last. 

‘‘ Good !” said Hans ; “ take your bread, 
then, and I will work till you have eaten. 
There are plenty of sparks, and you can- 
not deceive me again.” 

Ulrich ate and Hans hammered. The 
sparks flew in every direction. When he 
was convinced that Ulrich had eaten enough, 
he also ate, and drank from the flask, insist- 
ing that Ulrich should drink too. 

“ Now we can hold out twenty-four hours 
longer,” said Hans. “Half the bread and 
water is left yet, and to-morrow we will share 
just like to-day.” 

Ulrich pressed his friend’s hand in silence. 


LITTLE HANS. 


219 


He secretly reached into the niche, broke a 
fragment off from the piece which lay there, 
and concealed it in another place. Then he 
again took up his hammer, and once more 
their heavy blows echoed among the rocks. 

Hour after hour passed by. Ulrich and 
Hans slept and worked by turns. Hunger 
and thirst awoke in them with renewed 
strength. The last remnant of their little 
store had been taken from the niche and 
eaten, and again and again the boys lis- 
tened and sighed, with ever-rising anguish 
and ever-sinking hopes. No sound told 
them that any one thought of them or was 
trying to rescue them. 

The last spark of hope died out in Ul- 
rich’s heart. From three to four days — they 
could not know exactly, but three full days 
certainly — he and Hans had been imprisoned 
there, and he must believe that those without 
had given up all hope of finding them alive. 
Even if the miners had been laboring for 
their rescue, they must have given it up by 


220 


LITTLE HANS. 


this time. Ulrich saw it clearly, and with 
calmness prepared himself for death. Yet 
still he encouraged his friend as well as he 
could, and continually tried to keep alive 
in him a hope of rescue. Another day 
passed. The boys were so weak they could 
no longer lift their hammers. Hans lay 
outstretched upon the ground, neither sleep- 
ing nor waking, in a dull stupefaction. Ul- 
rich took the bit of bread which he had 
hidden, and handed it to his friend ; he 
took it eagerly and devoured it greedily. 
Life came back to him, and he felt strong 
enough to raise himself up. 

‘‘ Ulrich, dear Ulrich,” said he, throwing 
his arms around his friend, “ where did 
you get the bread ? Have you eaten too ? 
Oh, I couldn’t see ! I couldn’t lift the 
hammer !” 

“ Don’t worry about me,” replied Ulrich, 
in a feeble voice, but trying to speak firmly. 
‘‘ Yes, I ate too ; but, really, this is the last. 
If help doesn’t come soon, we are lost.” 


LITTLE HANS. 


221 


‘‘ But help will come — it must come/’ 
cried Hans, despairingly. 

“ It cannot come now/’ replied Ulrich, 
with a dull sort of resignation. “I feel 
that I am dying, and I won’t die with a 
lie in my mouth. It’s of no use to hope 
any longer, dear Hans; I gave up hope 
long ago. We must die — I first, and 
then you. And God be merciful to us 
both !” 

A shriek of horror escaped from poor 
Hans. 

No, no, no I” he cried, clinging to Ul- 
rich in desperation ; no, you must not 
leave me ! I shall keep you ; I won’t let 
you go. Let us pray, Ulrich. The Lord 
says, ‘ Call on me in trouble, I will deliver 
thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ It says so 
on my Bible-page. Let us call on God. 
Pray, Ulrich — pray ! O God ! O God ! 
merciful God ! see our trouble, see our 
need. Save us — save us for the sake of 
the dear Jesus who died for us. Deliver 


222 


LITTLE HANS. 


US, and we will praise thee as long as we 
live. — Pray, Ulrich ! God is merciful and 
will answer us.” 

Ulrich made no reply ; he was too weak, 
and his voice died away in a low sigh. 
Hans kneeled beside him and prayed with 
tears and sobs. Most ardently he besought 
God that he would spare to him the true 
friend upon whose face the hot tears fell 
fast. 

Suddenly Ulrich started up. 

“ God has saved us !” he cried. ‘‘ Be 
still ! be still a minute, Hans. It is, it is ! 
Hark, Hans, hark ! God has heard you ; 
God is merciful and gracious. Hark ! don’t 
you hear, Hans ? Listen, listen !” 

Hans was silent, pressing his ear against 
the rocky wall and listening with bated 
breath. Yes, truly, there was a muffled 
knocking in the distance — a knocking and 
hammering and scratching and boring. 
The sound of men’s voices was heard be- 
tween the crashings of falling stones, and 


LITTLE HANS. 


223 


then again all was still. And then, quite 
near, again the boring and scratching and 
pounding and the voices of men could be 
heard quite plainly. And now a loud cry 
from the boys, who fell into each other’s 
arms, and Hans gave a shout of joy, crying, 
“ ‘ Call upon me in trouble, I will deliver 
thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ ” And he 
snatched up his hammer and struck with all 
his might upon the rock, for the joy, the 
surprise, the unspeakable delight, which 
filled him had given him new strength. 

There was a moment of deep stillness, 
and then the overseer’s voice was heard 
crying exultantly, ‘‘ They live ! they live ! 
Forward, men !” and was answered by a 
thundering shout of joy from the men. 

And now the hammering and the pound- 
ing were renewed with redoubled force, while 
sparks flew and stones crashed in all direc- 
tions, and at last a gleam from the miners’ 
light fell into the children’s narrow tomb. 

Yes, rescue had come ; God had heard 


224 


LITTLE HANS. 


their prayer ; and, with hot tears of wonder, 
the boys sank down heart to heart and stam- 
mered out in broken words their joy and grat- 
itude to their merciful Father in heaven. 

Thus were they found when was rolled 
away the last great rock which had hidden 
them so long from the upper world, and 
with shouts of triumph the miners lifted 
them on their shoulders and carried them 
up to the light of day. 

Once more they saw the sun, the blue sky, 
the flying clouds, the green of the woods 
and meadows. Their hearts swelled, their 
eyes filled with tears; and, raising his hands 
to heaven, Hans said, 

“ Lord God, we praise thee !” 

And Ulrich said it too, and the miners re- 
peated the words, and from all around the 
rocks echoed again, ‘‘ Lord God, we praise 
thee!” 

So was fulfilled the word of the Lord : 

“ Call upon me in trouble, I will deliver 
thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” 


CHAPTER X. 


** But there is forgiveness with thee that 
thou mayst be feared.” 

^17HEN the first excitement of joy was 
^ ^ over, the boys began to feel how ex- 
hausted their strength had become by the 
horrors and anxieties of their living tomb. 
Both fell ill, and only awoke to consciousness 
several days later. All they had passed 
through seemed like a terrible dream. It 
was with difiiculty that they recalled the 
particulars of their adventure. 

‘‘But how was it possible for help to 
appear so suddenly just when we had given 
up all hope?’’ Ulrich asked the overseer, 
who had taken the boys to his own house 
and shown them the greatest kindness. 
“ Up to a few moments before our rescue we 
could not hear the least sound, and yet we 

16 225 


226 


LITTLE HANS. 


should have heard the blows of the hammer 
if they were so near. How did you get 
through so quietly?” 

“ The enigma is easily explained,” replied 
the overseer. “ The mass of fallen rock 
which separated you from the rest of the 
gallery was only a few feet thick ; then 
followed an empty space nearly fifty paces 
long, behind which lay the. great mass of the 
ruins. A long stretch of the farther gallery 
had fallen in, from the shock of the explo- 
sion, and we had to make our way through 
this before we could reach you. The empty 
space between deadened the sound, and thus 
it happened that you thought us so far off 
until we were close to you. The rolling 
away of the last partition made so loud a 
noise that you heard it, and then we too 
heard the muffled blows of your hammer. 
To penetrate through this last thin wall took 
little time, with so many hands, and it’s no 
wonder that our coming appeared like a 
miracle to you. And indeed it is a miracle ; 


LITTLE HANS. 


227 


for if the whole stretch of the gallery which 
separated us from you had fallen in, no 
power on earth could have saved you. So 
don’t forget to thank the Lord ; for, in truth, 
he has performed a miracle for you.” 

‘‘ Oh, we are thankful, from the bottom 
of our hearts,” said Hans, with deep emotion. 
“ I shall never forget the dreadful danger we 
were in and how the Lord God took care of 
us. I have been a foolish, headstrong, bad 
boy, but from this time I hope never to be 
so any more.” 

“ God keep you in this mind,” replied the 
overseer, kindly. ‘‘ But now, children, tell 
me : how could you have been so foolish 
as to light the fuse and spring the mine ?” 

“ We !” cried Ulrich, suddenly remember- 
ing Wenzel’s fiendish conduct. “We spring 
the mine ! It was Wenzel, the murdering 
scoundrel ! But now his misdeeds shall all 
come to light, and he shall pay for them 
too.” 

“ Hush, hush !” said the overseer, solemnly ; 


228 


LITTLE HANS. 


if he is really guilty, the hand of God is 
already upon him. He lies at home in terri- 
ble suffering ; both his legs are crushed, and 
his hours on earth are numbered.” 

In a few words he explained to the hor- 
ror-stricken boys the condition in which 
Wenzel had been found, adding that the 
physician had just told him that the un- 
happy man could not live through the 
night. 

Ulrich heard the news in speechless hor- 
ror, but Hans said, 

“ How wonderful it is ! Just see how the 
words on my Bible-leaf have come true : 
‘ These things hast thou done and I kept 
silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogeth- 
er such a one as thyself, but I will reprove 
thee, and set them in order before thine 
eyes.’ Here it stands, on my Bible-leaf 
that has been such a comfort to me in my 
trouble ; and really the Lord has fulfilled 
it all.” 

At this moment Frau Sabina came run- 


LITTLE HANS. 


229 


niug in with streaming eyes, bringing the 
news that Wenzel was dying and begged 
that he might see the rescued children and 
obtain their forgiveness before his depart- 
ure to another world. He saw, she said, how 
deeply he had sinned against them ; but his 
punishment was very severe, although no 
more than he deserved, and she prayed them 
to take pity on him and to comfort his last 
hours. 

Although the boys were still weak, they 
were more than ready to follow Frau Sabina. 
All vindictive feeling against the man who 
had been so cruel to them had vanished 
from their hearts, and they felt only the 
deepest sympathy with him in his sore af- 
fliction. They hastened to his dying bed, 
accompanied by the overseer; and, if, in- 
deed, any remnant of hatred or revenge had 
lurked in their hearts, it would have disap- 
peared at the sight of the sufferer. What a 
frightful change had a few days wrought 
in him ! There lay he who but a few days 


230 


LITTLE HANS. 


before had been so strong, now weak and 
helpless as a child, his eyes sunk deep in 
their sockets, his cheeks pale as ashes, his 
brow covered with a cold sweat, a horrible 
picture of suffering. 

As the boys entered, Wenzel looked fear- 
fully at them ; and then, without speaking a 
word, he lifted the bed-covering and pointed 
to the bandaged stumps of his limbs. The 
dreadful sight made the boys shudder ; they 
sank weeping upon their knees beside the 
dying man. 

‘‘ Poor, poor Wenzel !’’ said Hans, with 
the deepest pity. 

‘‘ God has punished me,” replied the guilty 
man, in a trembling voice. “Ah, ah, ah ! I 
did not heed his warning through the voice 
of my conscience, and now the avenging 
arm of his justice has overtaken me. I 
have got only what I deserved. I thank 
God that at least he has saved you, and 
that in his mercy he has permitted me 
once more to see you whom I tried to kill. 


LITTLE HANS. 


231 


Oh, can you forgive me ? Can you forgive 
all the harm I have tried to do you?” 

The voices of the boys were choked by 
tears, but they pressed the unhappy man’s 
hand, and their speaking eyes told him 
that from their inmost hearts they had for- 
given everything. 

A feeble smile played around Wenzel’s 
pale lips : 

“Ah ! if the mine had not sprung so 
soon ! But God saved you and punished 
me, the guilty one. Ah ! it would have 
been too horrible if I had had to die think- 
ing that I was the murderer of you two in- 
nocent children ! Oh, if I dared only to 
hope in the mercy of God ! If I could 
only pray to him ! But I dare not ; my 
sin is too great to be forgiven, and my soul 
trembles with fear and the anguish of his 
soul showed itself upon his pale features. 

All stood around and wept in sympathy, 
but no one found a word of comfort for the 
despairing man. 


232 


LITTLE HANS. 


Then Hans spoke in a gentle voice, his 
eyes glistening with tears : 

‘‘Do you forget that Ulrich and I have 
forgiven you? And will not God, who is 
love, be more ready to forgive you than 
we are ? I’ll pray with you, and the Lord 
will hear our prayer. Lift up your heart 
unto the Lord.” 

Every one in the room knelt down while 
Hans read in a clear voice the words of his 
Bible- leaf : 

“ ‘ Have mercy upon me, O God, accord- 
ing to thy loving-kindness : according unto 
the multitude of thy tender mercies blot 
out my transgressions. Wash me thorough- 
ly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from 
my sin. For I acknowledge my trans- 
gression, and my sin is ever before me. 
Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all 
mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, 
O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 
Cast me not away from thy presence, and 
take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore 


LITTLE HANS. 


233 


unto me the joy of thy salvation, and up- 
hold me with thy free Spirit. Amen.’ 

‘‘Amen ! amen !” sighed the dying man. 
“ O Lord, cast me not away from thy pres- 
ence, and — and — ” His voice broke ; a 
spasm crossed his features; he sank life- 
less upon his pillow. 

“ Peace be to his ashes !” said the over- 
seer, solemnly ; and then, turning to the 
sobbing wife, “And you, Frau Sabina — have 
no anxiety as to your future. God has taken 
away your support from you, but your kind- 
ness to these boys will not be forgotten : that 
I can assure you.” 

Frau Sabina sank weeping upon her hus- 
band’s death-bed. The others quitted the 
hut and returned to the overseer’s house. 
They walked silently, each one busy with 
his own thoughts. 

The day was spent in quiet meditation. 
All were too deeply moved by the sad fate 
of poor Wenzel to be able to enjoy ordinary 
conversation. 


CHAPTER XI. 


** Bring forth therefore fruits meet for 
repentance.’’ 

A FTER Wenzel’s funeral, which occurred 
a few days later, the overseer thought it 
was time to consider what steps it was best to 
take to restore Hans to his friends. He 
called the boys to him, and asked Hans 
if he had thought how he could best repair 
the wrong he had done in running away 
from his aunt’s house. 

“Of course I have thought about it,” 
answered Hans, without hesitation. “ I must 
go right back to my aunt and beg her par- 
don, and then stay with her till we get some 
news of my father and Paul.”. 

“That is the most reasonable thing you 
can do, by all means,” said the overseer. 
“The only question is how you can make 

234 


LITTLE HANS. 


235 


the journey without running the risk of 
falling into the hands of the French, who 
are spread over the whole country.” 

“ Oh, they wouldn’t do anything to a little 
boy like me,” replied Hans. ‘‘ I shall just 
get on my pony — it’s lucky he has got well 
of his wound — and ride straight to Berlin ; 
that is, Ulrich and I will go, for my good 
Ulrich must always live with me and never 
leave me again. — We are brothers for life, 
aren’t we, Ulrich?” 

‘‘ Yes, if you will have me,” replied Ul- 
rich, warmly clasping his friend’s proffered 
hand. “I will follow you everywhere, for 
we have learned to love each other in our 
times of danger.” 

‘‘And do you think I can ever forget how 
you sacrificed yourself for me?” asked Hans, 
affectionately. “We shall always stay to- 
gether, and my father will gladly bid you 
welcome.” 

“Yes, I believe that myself,” said the 
overseer. “Besides, Ulrich’s parents are 


236 


LITTLE HANS. 


dead ; nothing keeps him here. — Go in 
peace, my son, with the friend whom your 
fidelity has won for you. But so utterly 
alone ! Two such young boys ! It seems too 
venturesome. I will find some trusty man 
to accompany you ; he shall go with you 
as far as Berlin.’’ 

‘‘All right,” said Hans. “But we have 
no money. It will be hard work to get our- 
selves through, and all the harder if there 
are three of us.” 

“ You need have no anxiety on that head, 
Hans,” interrupted the overseer ; “ your lit- 
tle fortune has been found. On his death- 
bed Wenzel confessed that he had robbed 
you and hidden the money, and a few days 
ago Frau Sabina brought me the whole 
amount.” 

“ No, no !” said Hans ; “ let her keep it. 
I won’t touch any of it. The poor good 
woman ! Give her back the money, please. 
I know that my father would say so.” 

“Well, well, give her half of it; it will 


LITTLE HANS. 


237 


be quite a little fortune for her/’ said the 
overseer. ‘‘ I will not fail to express your 
gratitude to her, for she deserves it; and 
she needs the money. Besides, half of it is 
more than enough to defray the expenses of 
your journey. Shall I send for Frau Sa- 
bina? She is in the house now.” 

^‘Yes, do,” said Hans. “And not only 
shall she have this money, but I shall beg 
my father to reward her richly for her kind- 
ness to me, so that the good woman need 
never feel poverty any more.” 

Frau Sabina came, and was moved to 
tears when Hans gave her his generous 
present with the assurance that he would 
never forget her kindness to him. Hans 
thanked her, too, for all the sympathy she 
had shown him, and bade her good-bye. 
The good Sabina melted into tears, and 
wished him all manner of happiness through 
his whole life. 

Early next morning Hans and Ulrich set 
out for Berlin, accompanied by Stephen, a 


238 


LITTLE HANS. 


worthy miner, whom the overseer had se- 
lected to take care of them on the journey. 
Hans rode his pony, which pranced merrily 
along, snuffing the fresh morning air. Ul- 
rich and Stephen walked beside him ; they 
would consent to travel in no other manner, 
although Hans had offered to buy two more 
horses, that all might ride and reach the end 
of their journey the sooner. They told him 
that they did not know how to ride, and that 
it was much better that they should travel 
in their accustomed manner. The overseer 
accompanied them to the next village, and 
on taking leave of Hans he recommended to 
him not to forget the good resolutions he 
had so lately made, and, above all, not to for- 
get what great things the Lord had done for 
him. 

Hans promised most earnestly : 

“God has opened my eyes, and I see 
how naughty I used to be. I know very 
well that I have a great deal to atone for. 
I am in real earnest about it ; and if ever I 


LITTLE HANS. 


289 


find myself growing careless, I will think of 
Wenzel and of the dreadful hours that Ul- 
rich and I spent down there in the mine. 
And, besides, haven’t I got my dear Bible- 
leaf ? It is lying safe on my heart, and it 
says, ‘Offer unto the Lord thy sacrifices, 
and pay thy vows unto the Most High.’ 
God has led me in a wonderful way ; he 
has punished me, and he has forgiven me. 
He has led me to know what is right and 
good ; he will not let me go away from him, 
I am sure. After doing so much for me, he 
will not leave me to fall into my old bad 
ways.” 

“ Good ! God’s blessing will rest upon 
you,” said the overseer, shaking the boy’s 
hand warmly. “The Lord has tried you 
sorely, but we see that it was all for your 
good. When you came here, you were 
an unruly, headstrong boy, but your fiery 
trials have purified your heart ; so that 
we may hope that you will grow up to 
be a good boy and a comfort to your father. 


240 


LITTLE HANS. 


Go in peace, my son, and the blessing of the 
Lord go with you !” 

Thus with hearty farewells they parted, 
the overseer returning to his home and the 
boys, with Stephen, going on toward Berlin. 

Hans’s heart was full of happy hopes of 
soon seeing his dear friends and showing 
to them that he had come back a different 
boy from what he was when he so naughtily 
ran away. These hopes made him bright 
and cheerful, and his mind was full of peace 
and joy. 

The greater part of the journey was safe- 
ly accomplished in a few days. Stephen 
everywhere inquired about the position of 
the French troops, which he tried his best 
to avoid, because, although no very great 
danger was likely to result from meeting 
with them, it might cause a considerable de- 
lay, which would have been very unwelcome 
to Hans. He earnestly longed to get back 
to Berlin, that he might ask his aunt’s for- 
giveness and get news of his father and 


LITTLE HANS. 


241 


Paul, even if he might not hope to find 
them there. He was also very anxious to 
tell them of the change in himself, and to 
relieve them of the anxiety into which his 
wicked and foolish flight must have plunged 
them. 

During several days they managed to avoid 
a meeting with the enemy, thanks to the un- 
remitting prudence and foresight of Stephen, 
who led them by various by-ways and unfre- 
quented paths among the many detachments 
of French troops which were swarming all 
over the country. One evening, however, 
as they arrived at a hamlet where they pro- 
posed to spend the night, they were sud- 
denly greeted by a loud “ Halte-la ! Qui 
vive!” and a bayonet flashed before their 
eyes. The hamlet was filled with French 
soldiers; to avoid them was impossible. 

“A friend !” was Stephen’s answer to the 
unwelcome greeting, and he approached the 
sentry to explain his position. This, how- 
ever, was a rather difficult proceeding, for 
16 


242 


LITTLE HANS. 


the sentinel understood as little of German 
as did Stephen of French, while, Hans and 
Ulrich were no better instructed. 

Votre passe-port,” said the Frenchman, 
“or you prisonniers.” 

It was in vain that Stephen tried to ex- 
plain. The Frenchman kept repeating “ passe- 
port,” and Stephen not only had no pass, but 
did not even understand what the sentinel 
wanted. 

“ Now we are in for it,” said Hans, un- 
easily. “After all our trouble, theyT take 
us for spies, or something, and no one knows 
how long it will be before we get away. It 
is very unlucky.” 

“ Oh, it won’t be so bad as that,” said Ul- 
rich. “ The Frenchmen won’t be suspicious 
of two boys like us.” 

The sentinel seemed to be of a different 
opinion. He kept the travelers with him 
until the patrol came around to relieve him. 
The officer in command fortunately under- 
stood a little German, and there was there- 


LITTLE HANS. 


243 


fore some hope that the prisoners — for as 
such they might well consider themselves — 
would be able very easily to prove their 
innocence and receive permission to go on 
their way. 

Stephen, Hans and Ulrich joined in en- 
treating the officer not to hinder them, and 
tried to make him understand that they 
were quite peaceable and harmless way- 
farers. 

Dat help netting,” said the officer, 
shrugging his shoulders : ‘‘ when not have 
pass from French general, you prisoners. 
To-morrow be examined ; we see then. 
Now march to guard-house.” 

Resistance was of no avail, and would 
only have made their case the worse. With 
a sigh Hans yielded to his fate, and, much 
cast down, followed his companions and the 
officer to the guard-house, where all three 
were locked up without ceremony and left 
to wait until morning. Hans scolded and 
fretted and hardly slept at all in his impa- 


244 


LITTLE HANS. 


tience to regain his liberty. His old habits 
were not all got rid of yet. 

At last, but not until nearly noon, an 
orderly appeared and commanded the pris- 
oners to follow him to trial. He led them to 
a room where a number of officers were as- 
sembled. One of them seemed to be very 
distinguished, for his uniform blazed with 
gold lace and a pair of heavy epaulettes 
rested on his shoulders. He looked narrowly 
at the prisoners, exchanged a .few words with 
his brother-officers, and at last turned with a 
kindly smile to the boys, who were awaiting 
his judgment with great apprehension. 

“ Who are you ?” he said, in good Ger- 
man. 

“Ah, Mr. Officer,” answered Hans, prompt- 
ly, “ we are only two innocent boys who wish 
to go to Berlin, and that man there is our 
guide. We don’t want to do anything 
wrong.” 

“ Well, so it seems to me,” answered the 
officer, looking with pleasure at the boy’s 


LITTLE HAm. 


245 


honest, pretty face. “ What is your name ? 
and how came you to be here 

‘‘My name is Hans von Waldensee, and 
my father is a Prussian officer,” answered 
Hans, simply. “ You see, I wanted to go to 
the war with him, and it didn’t turn out 
very well for me.” 

“I should think not. You are rather too 
young for the war, .my little fellow,” said the 
officer, smiling. “ But what did you say 
your name was?” he added, more thought- 
fully. “ Waldensee ?” 

“ Yes,” said Hans, nodding. 

“ Let me think,” said the officer, reflect- 
ively; “it seems to me that I have heard 
that name before to-day. Ah ! that is it. — 
See here, my little friend, is your father an 
officer ?” 

“ Yes, sir ; major of cuirassiers.” 

“Which regiment?” 

“The Fifth.” 

“ Why, this is indeed a remarkable coinci- 
dence !” cried the officer. “ What will you 


246 


LITTLE HANS. 


give me, my little friend, if I tell you where 
to find your father ?” 

“ My father !” cried Hans, joyfully. ‘‘ Oh, 
is he here? But not wounded! Oh, please, 
good sir, tell me — ’’ 

“ Why, yes ; your father is here, and he 
is wounded,” replied the officer. But don’t 
be frightened, child. The wound isn’t so 
very dangerous; and if he is well taken 
care of, he will soon be well again.” 

Hans burst into tears. 

“ Oh, let me go to him,” he said, implor- 
ingly. “ I will take care of him. — And you 
too, Ulrich, won’t you ? — Dear good sir, 
please tell me that I may go to him. May 
I not?” 

Certainly, dear child, you may go to 
him,” replied the officer, kindly. “I am 
very glad that you have come just in good 
time, for to-morrow we march away from 
here and your father would have been left 
with no one to care for him. Now you are 
here and can nurse him. Your father is a 


LITTLE HANS. 


247 


brave man, and I am glad that he will have 
so much comfort while on his sick-bed.” 

“ But isn’t he your prisoner?” asked Hans, 
anxiously. 

“ To be sure he is,” returned the officer, 
smiling; “but Frenchmen hold all brave 
men in honor, especially when they are 
wounded. And, besides, I must do some- 
thing especially for your sake. Go to your 
father; carry him his freedom and the greet- 
ings of General Bapp. Good-bye, my 
child !” 

With a cry of joy Hans fell upon his 
knees before the general and pressed a kiss 
of gratitude upon his hand. The general 
stroked the boy’s dark hair kindly, repeat- 
ing, “Good-bye, good-bye, my brave little 
fellow !” and then ordered his adjutant to 
conduct the two boys and their attendant 
to the wounded man’s quarters. 

The adjutant led them to a little cottage, 
which they had hardly reached when they 
heard a shout of delight. The door flew 


248 


LITTLE HANS: 


open, and good old Paul ran out and clasped 
the astonished Hans in his arms. 

Youngster, where did you come from 
he cried. How glad your father will be ! 
Ah ! how much anxiety you have given us ! 
But come, come ! How glad your father 
will be !” He tore open the nearest door, 
and, crying aloud, ‘‘ Here is Hans !” he 
fairly carried the boy to the side of the 
bed, where the major lay with his head 
and one arm bandaged. 

Hans fell upon his father^s neck and 
covered his face with kisses. That was 
a happy meeting. 

‘‘ But, Hans, how foolishly you have 
acted said his father, at last, when the 
first rush of delight was over. “ Beally, 
I must scold you for your naughtiness, my 
boy.” 

“ Oh, father, forgive me, forgive me !” 
cried Hans, with a trembling voice. “ Yes, 
yes! I have been a naughty boy, but you 
don’t know how sorry I am. And really 


LITTLE HANS. 


249 


I will never, never again make you any 
more trouble. — Nor you, either, Paul. — Ah ! 
God has opened my eyes, and I see now 
how wicked and foolish I have been. — But 
you will see, father, that I am quite 
changed.’’ 

‘‘ Thank God !” said the major, in de- 
lighted surprise. ‘‘But how does it hap- 
pen that you are so much changed in so 
short a time?” 

Hans told his whole story, and his father 
and Paul listened in deep emotion. They 
looked with tearful eyes at the Bible-leaf, 
which Hans drew from his bosom. 

“ It shall be framed and glazed when we 
get home,” said the major, with tears of joy. 
“ Truly, Hans, this leaf has done wonderful 
things for you, and the Lord, who has led 
you so graciously, has done still more won- 
derfully for you, — And, Ulrich, come here, 
my child. You shall be my son and my 
boy’s brother, for your faithful friendship 
can be repaid by nothing less. — Oh, Hans, 


250 


LITTLE HANS. 


how thankful you ought to be for all the 
goodness and mercy which God has shown 
you !” 

Many happy hours followed. 

Paul told his story, and explained how 
he had lost sight of Hans and found the major. 
He had been taken prisoner by the French, 
and therefore had not been able to go back 
after the boy. After the disastrous battle of 
Jena he had discovered his master among the 
wounded in an ambulance, and had obtained 
General Rapp’s permission to remain with 
him. This explained how General Rapp 
had come to understand the major’s situa- 
tion so precisely, and thus had been able 
to recognize little Hans as his son. Hans 
was no longer indignant at the thought of the 
short imprisonment he had been made to un- 
dergo, but rather rejoiced in the wonderful 
leading of God’s hand, which had united 
him with his father and Paul. 


Little more remains to be said. After 


LITTLE HANS. 


251 


the major’s recovery the whole party, in- 
cluding Ulrich, returned to the major’s es- 
tate. Frau Sabina was not forgotten ; a 
sufficient sum was settled upon her to make 
her comfortable for life. Hans showed in 
his altered conduct that his trials had borne 
good fruit, and that the change in him was 
real. God had truly given him a new heart. 
Rarely were complaints of him heard, either 
from Paul, or from the schoolmaster, or from 
the good pastor, or from any one ; and when 
he did wrong, his sorrow showed that he 
was striving to go in the right way. Ul- 
rich and he lived together like brothers, 
loving each other most faithfully. When 
the great war against the French broke out, 
they both joined the army, returning home 
at the close of the campaign with honorable 
wounds and with that most honorable of 
rewards — the Iron Cross. 

Hans kept this trophy as a great treasure, 
but his greatest treasure was always the dear 
Bible-leaf which had been the means of his 


252 


LITTLE HANS. 


conversion and reformation. It hung in the 
place of honor in his room, carefully pre- 
served in a gilt frame, and he never gazed 
upon it but with the deepest and most 
thankful emotion. 


THE END. 



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